Stanislav Velinov, deputy Minister of Transport is appointed the Chairman of the new Board of Directors of Sofia Airport. Members of the Board are: Apik Garabedyan, Hristo Danchev, Plamen Nakev and Dimitar Nedelchev. CEO of the company is appointed Danyo Ananiev.
Source: Other (09.01.1996)

The gross profit of the water-transporting companies amounts to BGL 2,92 billion for the passed 9 months of 1996. Navigation Maritime Bulgare JSC has a profit of BGL 254 million and has paid 1/3 of its debts to the banks. The Bulgarian Sea Fleet ends the 9 months' period with a profit of BGL 1,6 billion. All the ports, except the port in the town of Lom, have ended the period with positive financial results. The gross profits of the air-transporting companies amount to BGL 2,39 billion, except the losses of the Balkan Air-lines. The profit of the three international air ports amount to BGL 2,45 billion. The state-owned company "Hemus-Air" ends the period with a profit of BGL 45 million.
Source: Pari (01.11.1996)

The expansion of the Sofia Airport will begin in the spring of 1997, reported the Minister of Transport Stamen Stamenov. The construction will be done by "Glavbolgarstroy" JSC and will cost USD 170 million, according to preliminary data. The European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will finance the project.
Source: Standart (13.11.1996)

The Holland programme for co-operation will grant NLG 60 million to Bulgaria in 1997. With a part of this money will be constructed a new passenger terminal at the Sofia Airport.
Source: Kontinent (05.03.1997)

The net profit of "Sofia Airport" for 1996 is in the amount of BGL 567,91 million, said the Executive Director of the airport Danyo Adanev. The company does not have debts to the budget and the banks. The debts of "Balkan" air-lines and "Hemus Air" to the airport are in the amount of BGL 830 million.
Source: 24 chasa (13.03.1997)

The Kuwait Fund for an Investment Development will grant a loan in the amount of USD 129 million for the reconstruction of Sofia Airport. The Ministry of Transport prepared the project and Bulgarian "Glavbogarstroy" JSC will execute it.
Source: Trud (18.06.1997)

The Council Of Ministers approved the reconstruction project of Sofia Airport in the amount of XEU 123 million. The Cabinet will ask a mandate from the Parliament for negotiations with the European Investment Bank for a loan in the amount of XEU 60 million. The amount of 50 million have been expected from the Kuwaiti Investment Fund and the amount of XEU 25 million under the PHARE program for the airport's reconstruction.
Source: Trud (18.07.1997)

The Sofia City Council purchased 17 per cent from the shares of "Company of Sofia Airport Development" JSC from "Glavbolgarstroy" JSC for the amount of BGL 9.520 million. The third company's shareholder is "Sofia Airport" JSC. The company's General Meeting took a decision to increase its capital from the BGL 56 million up to the amount of BGL 114 million. German concern "Siemens" purchased the total new emission in the amount of BGL 58 million and was included as company's shareholder.
Source: Democracy (21.07.1997)

The Minister of Transport appointed Mr. Zdravko Velichkov General Manager of Sofia Airport in the place of Mr. Danio Adanev. The members of the Board of Directors were decreased from seven down to five, as Mr. Petko Tabov is appointed Chairman.
Source: Pari (24.07.1997)

German company "Simex" became a shareholder in "Company of Sofia Airport's Development" as holds 50.88 per cent from its capital. It was done through company's capital increase from BGL 56 million up to the amount of 114 million. The all shares from the new emission are bought from "Simex. The other two company's shareholders are Sofia Municipal and Sofia Airport.
Source: Pari (25.07.1997)

The government approved a contract with European Investment Bank for a loan of XEU 60 million for reconstruction and modernization of airport "Sofia" SPJSC. The reconstruction will cost USD 120 million.
Source: Trud (14.10.1997)

Sofia Airport serviced 2978 planes in September. 1666 of them were on international lines and 412 - on internal. The passengers were 108,818, 99,949 of them passed on international lines and 9869 - on internal. The loads were 1003 tones.
Source: 24 chasa (17.10.1997)

"Vereinsbank" (Germany) agreed to finance the repairs of Sofia Airport, said the Mayor of Sofia, Mr. Stefan Sofianski. There is an agreement with the bank for a credit of USD 20 - 30 million. USD 140 million are necessary for the first stage of reconstruction.
Source: Democracy (06.11.1997)

A Law on ratification of the financial contract among Bulgaria, European Investment Bank and "Sofia Airport" SPJSC was promulgated in "The State Gazette". The contract provides for ECU 60 milion for reconstruction of "Sofia Airport" JSC.
Source: State Gazette (11.11.1997)

The Council of Ministres will ratify the agreement with Kuwaiti Investment Fund for the loan in the amount of USD 40 milliom. The loan is allocated for a repair of Sofia Airport. According to the preliminary agreement the payment of the loan will begin a year after the finishing of the reconstruction.
Source: Pari (25.11.1997)

A contract was signed for payment of the debt of "Balkan Airlines" JSC (Sofia) to "Sofia Airport" SPJSC - BGL 2 billion. "Balkan Air-lines" JSC paid its debt with a transfer of its property in "Varna Airport" SPJSC and "Balkan Air Tour" JSC to "Sofia Airport" SPJSC. At the present moment the external debts of "Balkan Airlines" JSC amount to USD 60 million. The money will be paid by the future buyer of "Balkan Airlines" JSC.
Source: Standart (19.01.1998)

The Council of Ministers approved the contract with Kuwait fund for economic development for a credit of USD 40 million. The money will be spent on repairs and expansion of Sofia Airport. The contract must be also approved by the Parliament. The loan must be paid in 20-year term.
Source: Standart (11.08.1998)

Sofia Airport and Balkan Airlines signed a contract for exchange of debt for property, reported the Executive Director of Sofia Airport Mr. Zdravko Velichkov. Balkan Airlines paid BGL 2.56 billion of total debts of BGL 2.9 billion but recently its debts increased again - up to BGL 2.5 billion.
Source: Pari (12.08.1998)

A contract for loan to Sofia Airport - USD 40.2 million, between Bulgaria and Kuwait was ratified by the Parliament on October 28. The contract was signed in Sofia on June 22, 1998. The term for payment is 20 years with a grace period of 5 years and annual interest of 4 per cent.
Source: Pari (29.10.1998)

"Glavbolgarstroy" JSC will execute the second stage of the construction of a tower for the air controllers of "Sofia Airport" JSC. "European Investment Bank" that has granted a loan in the amount of ECU 60 million, has confirmed that has approved the held auction.
Source: Standart (11.12.1998)

General Direction Management of the air movement - Sofia ordered a procurement for production and delivery of a radar for the needs of Sofia airport to Black sea - SP JSC, Varna.
Source: State Gazette (02.04.1999)

The competition for reconstruction of Sofia Airport SPJSC will take place at the beginning of September, was reported from the Ministry of Transport.
Source: Standart (09.08.1999)

On September 29 starts preparation of the terms for selection of an executor of the project for modernization and reconstruction of Sofia Airport. The Irish company Aer Rianta will work on improvement of the management and operations. The Dutch company NACO is going to prepare documentation for the technical terminal and the landing-strip.
Source: Standart (29.09.1999)

NIKMI Ltd. - Sofia has won the auction for repair of Sofia Airport. According to the preliminary terms of the auction, the construction company must destroy the current buildings for arrivals and departures. The total amount of the project is USD 7 million.
Source: Sega (20.12.1999)

Nearly USD 200 million will cost the reconstruction of Sofia Airport SPJSC, stated Executive Director Mr. Zdravko Velikov. European Bank for Rehabilitation and Development has granted USD 60 million for the airport's modernization and reconstruction.
Source: Standart (17.02.2000)

Every new management of the Airport comes with the intention to stop the Mafia of taxi-drivers, but the result of the measures usually favours the few admitted taxi-drivers. The only more serious change in the status quo was made in 1993. The Airport, Avtomotor Corporation and rent-a-car agency Budget established a consortium for taxi services for the passengers. The idea was to be transported with comfortable cars at normal prices. The attempt finished just a year later because of the big losses of the joint-venture.
Source: Capital (02.05.2000)

19 international consortiums submitted before qualification offers for participation of the new passenger terminal of Sofia Airport. A Commission has to assess which offers are the most profitable. This Commission is appointed by the European Investment Bank. The names of the companies will be known at the moment of the opening of all offers.
Source: BTA (18.05.2000)

In a period of one week the Minister of Transport and Communications Mr. Antoni Slavinski changed the Boards of Directors in which take part his deputies. Only for two days with an order of Mr. Slavinski, his deputy Mrs. Katija Georgieva from the Board of Directors of Bourgas Airport JSC was dismissed and the Director of Despred JSC Mr. Ilko Milushev also was dismissed. At the first place was placed a man, who is not employee of the Ministry and at the second - the Chief Secretary of the Minister Mr. Grozdan Karadzhov. With this the Boards in which Mr. Karadzhov takes part are three - a Chairman of the Board of Directors of BTC SP JSC, a member of the Board of Directors of Rila Solutions and Director of the Board of Directors of Despred. The other two deputies of Mr. Slavinski - Mr. Petko Tabakov and Mr. Apik Garabedian keep their positions for the time being.
Source: Sega (16.06.2000)

Sofia City Court registered changes for Sofia Airport - SP JSC: the member of the Board of Directors Mr. Venelin Dimitrov was erased; Mr. Nikola Petkov was registered as a member of the Board of Directors.
Source: State Gazette (07.07.2000)

The mandate of the Board of Directors of Sofia Airport JSC is prolonged with one year, was reported by the Ministry of Transport. In the end of last year the Minister of Transport and Communications Mr. Antoni Slavinski signed an order for the prolonging of the contracts of the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Deputy Minister of Transport Mr. Petko Tabakov and of the Executive Director of the airport Mr. Zdravko Velichkov. Their contracts for the management of the airport expired on Friday (July 21). The motives for their renewal are the good financial results of Sofia Airport JSC.
Source: Standart (25.07.2000)

The repair works of the passenger terminal of Sofia Airport SP JSC will end on September 1. This was announced by the Minister of Transport Mr. Antoni Slavinski. The Minister ordered a check-up of the construction activities because of the repair's delay . In the beginning of this week the Executive Director of the company NIKMI Ltd - Sofia, which executes the repair, announced that Siemens did not deliver the equipment of two new transformers. The German company's representatives commented, that the constructors are being slow.
Source: 24 chasa (03.08.2000)

Rousse Airport has a new manager, was announced by the Deputy District Governor Mr. Emil Bachiiski. The name of the new manager is Mr. Angel Torlakov, who comes in the place of Mr. George Hadzhiev. The Minister of Transport Mr. Antonii Slavinski signed the order for the substitution. Besides it is written in the document that the airport is being separated from the Sofia Airport and must be reformed into a SP Ltd company. The first task of the new director was its registration. He also has to restore the complex's active work.
Source: Briag (16.08.2000)

The new system for registration of the passengers and inspection of the luggage CUTE was represented at the official opening of the reconstructed airport Sofia. The capacity of servicing the passengers only for Departure terminal per hour is 1400 people. The Arrival terminal will service about 540 passengers per hour.
Source: Pari (07.09.2000)

British Airways will open an office at Sofia Airport on November 1st for sale of tickets, stated the representative of the airline in Bulgaria Mr. Vladimir Takov. As of November 1, British Airways will also sell electronic tickets and there will be reservations in Internet. Since the beginning of September, the British company has used new computer system for registration of passengers and luggage.
Source: Standart (24.10.2000)

The Executive Director of Sofia Airport JSC Mr. Zdravko Velichkov was dismissed with an order of the Minister of Transport and Communication Antonii Slavinski last week. It is expecting Mr. Velichkov to be replaced by Mr. Filio Filiovski as Airport’s Executive Director till the end of the current week. There was no any concrete reason for the Mr. Velichkov dismissal. Mr. Filio Filiovski was a former Deputy Executive Director of the Airport and have been also a employee of the state-owned company Despred.
Source: 24 chasa (13.11.2000)

Over EUR 46 million will be provided from the Budget by the year of 2003 for the reconstruction of Sofia airport, was reported from the Ministry of Transport and Communications. On December 6 the Management Project Committe and representatives of the European Investment Bank, the Kuwait fund for development and the Dutch consulting company NAKO will approve the financial stakes for construction of new passenger terminal and tracks at the airport. The construction of the terminal will cost EUR 145.7 million and for the tracks - over EUR 64 million. By February 1 will be accepted offers for construction of the new tracks.
Source: Standart (04.12.2000)

30 companies have so far submitted offers to take part in the qualifications of Sofia airport, was reported from the airport. The so called LOT B includes the construction of a new track that is 3 600 metres long. The construction will cost over USD 50 million. Among the companies are mainly unions of several construction companies like Spiekermann GmbH & Co", the consortium of Danish companies Janrel Mann, Johnson & Mendenhall, the British Holcrow Group, Kuwait United Construction Management, Parsons Brinckerhoff and others. Since the main part of the funds are granted by the Kuwait fund for Arabian foreign economic cooperation, the companies from Arabian countries receive preferences in the auction.
Source: Sega (02.02.2001)

Bulgaria will succeed to offer the most attractive opportunities for investment in the region, deputy economy minister Hristo Mihaylovski told a business delegation from the Spanish autonomous region of Catalonia in response to the intentions of Spain's Gallina Blanka company to invest USD 4 million in Southeast Europe. The Bulgarian entrepreneurial chamber and the Catalonian association of enterprises for innovations and independent consultant bureaus signed a cooperation agreement. We discussed the possibilities for the participation of Spanish companies in the privatisation of the National Electric Company and the Bulgarian State Railways, Mihaylovski said. A Bulgarian delegation will visit Catalonia and sign an agreement for cooperation in infrastructural projects in the field of water supply, in the construction of waste water purification stations, and in improving the condition of the railway lines. The construction of highways and the rehabilitation of the road network, ports, and the airports of Sofia and Bourgas also present interest for the members of the delegation. A joint Bulgarian-Spanish enterprise for textile production will be opened soon. Negotiations are under way for conceding land for the construction of a factory operative in the food and beverages industry. Two hotel groups have agreed to set up a joint venture to run a hotel in Sofia and another one in Vitosha. For the period January-November 2000 Bulgaria's turnover with Spain amounted to USD 181.10 million, with a USD 3.5 million positive balance for Bulgaria. Catalonia accounts for about one third of Bulgaria's mutual trade with Spain.
Source: Pari (05.02.2001)

Working-managing was established by ten main shareholders in order to participate in the purchase of Plodinvest SPJSC - Plovdiv. The company holds 2 floors at Blv. Ruski 15 and plots in other parts of the city. The working-managing company will be called Plodinvest-21. In its Board of Directors participate Mr. Petar Angelov - chairman, Mr. Nikola Petkov - deputy-chairman and Mr. Petar Popov - executive director. The Board of Directors is almost the same as the Board of Directors of Plodinvest. Key figure in it is Mr. Nikola Petkov. He was a partner of the Minister of Finance Mr. Muravei Radev in the beginning of 90-s in Iris Engineering and later in the cooperation Tape Co. At the moment Mr. Petkov participates in 10 Boards of Directors, among which are Gazstroy-Sofia and Sofia Airport.
Source: Maritsa (14.02.2001)

After two years of scandals and the dismissing of the executive director of Sofia Airport Mr. Zdravko Velichkov the reconstruction of the government VIP continues. According to the plans of Ministry of Transport and Communication state guests and special visitors will arrive in a building of glass, titan, zinc and metal. Now the Ministry gives the state company Transcomplect the procurement to conserve the object without an auction, and later the same company will accomplish the reconstruction. At the moment the state construction company is in a process of preparation for privatization and as there is a significant investors’ interest within a month will be prepared its law analysis. Jurists explained that if the Public Procurement Law is followed and a new performer of the reconstruction is searched for the procedure will take six months. At the moment the building is closed for 2 months in order to be strengthened. During April last year the Minister of Transport and Communications Mr. Slavinski ceased the reconstruction of the VIP because of the prices which were raised two times. The performer of the project is Danlex company. A month later the direction for National Construction Control found diversions from the project and also stopped the construction. Danlex won the auction for the reconstruction of the VIP during 1998 with a price of BGN 2.3 million and a term of execution 11 months. In the auction commission participated the present deputy-minister of transport and communications Mr. Petko Tabakov. The opinion of the commission was that Transcomplect may accomplish the project partly. For completed construction the state now owes to Danlex about BGN 4 million and the company sues the department. The Ministry have not informed the company if it is going to be the executive of the project or they will seek for another. From the department explained that if the project is accomplished by state company it will be cheaper.
Source: Dnevnik (05.03.2001)

Sofia City Court initiated a case for declaration of Airline Balkan in insolvency. The Court will decide by 30 days in accordance with the requirements of the Trade Act. At the case presented the lawyers of Balkan and representatives of the creditors, Bulstrad insurance company, Sofia airport, Jolovski & sons and the International association for air transport IATA. The debts to the insurance company Bulstrad are for USD 11 million, to Sofia Airport - BGN 1.7 million.
Source: BTA (07.03.2001)

The Domestic flights of Balkan Airlines, which are now non-functional will be transferred to the state-owned Hemus Air Ltd. - Sofia As of March 26, three flights daily will connect Sofia and Varna. The debt of Balkan Airlines JSC - Sofia to the Varna Airport JSC amounts to BGN 208 000, which enable the airport to join Balkan’s team of creditors. The first chartered plane will land on the Varna Airport on March 16, 2001 under the Kurclub Reisen tour operator’s programme.
Source: Pari (14.03.2001)

Bulbank JSC won the auction on the Public Procurements Law for the bank service of the custom office at airport Sofia.
Source: Pari (04.04.2001)

After a delay of 7 years and scandals the enlargement of Sofia airport may begin in the autumn. The company will declare auctions for builders of the new track and terminal in June. The airport expects its passengers to increase from 1.1 million for 2000 to 2.5 million in 2006.
Source: Dnevnik (08.05.2001)

Balkan will hire 2 airplanes Tu-154M from the Russian carrier Vnukovski airlines, was reported from the national carrier. The machines will be used for flights to London, Dubai, Moscow and Barcelona. By the end of May 2000 in Sofia will also arrive the two machines ATR-42 that were negotiated with the French company Aerospecial. At the moment Balkan has rent contracts for airplanes with Hemus air and Aviootriad 28. As of May 19 the airline starts to fly to Dubai.
Source: Dnevnik (17.05.2001)

United Centre for Air Traffic Control (UCAT) that will service the flights over the State and Black sea, was opened by the Prime Minister Mr. Ivan Kostov. In it have so far been invested EUR 58.561 million and the amount of the whole project that is financed by the European investment Bank, amounts to EUR 83.5 million. the project includes the construction and the full technologic equipment of the building. Bulgaria has so far concluded contracts for two investment loans with EIB at the amount of EUR 60 million.
Source: Standart (17.05.2001)

BGN 19 million from the budget may be spent on the reconstruction of VIP at the Sofia airport . One year ago from the site was suspended Danlex company , which had won a competition for the project. Ministry of Transport has paid to the company BGN 3.7 million for the reconstruction work. Ministry of Transport has given to the public company Transkomplekt JSC BGN 4.5 million to finish the reconstruction.
Source: Trud (05.07.2001)

The auctions for selection of chief executor of the enlargement of Sofia airport will be announced within August 3. The auction documents are ready and are co-ordinated with the delegation of the European commission in Bulgaria and European Investment Bank. The candidates for construction of the new passenger terminal and a track at Sofia airport within 2004 are 24. It is expected to be invested USD 216 million. The funds are provided by European Investment Bank on ISPA programme and by Kuweit fund for development.
Source: Standart (24.07.2001)

200 owners of lands in the region of the widening of airport Sofia will be compensated with money. The exact value of the lands has to be specified.
Source: Novinar (30.07.2001)

Competitors in the trade with currency are Transimpex, B.N.K., Deneb, Amphora, Panchantra, Princess Corecom, Sofcom, Sincom, Aidatour, Belatour, kalotina Balkantourist, the airports in Plovdiv and Sofia, Balkan Airways.
Source: Capital (05.08.2001)

A few months after the reconstruction of Airport Sofia was completed the roof of the building for passport control started to leek. The reconstruction finished in August 2000 and cost BGN 8 million. During 1999 Nikmi company won the auction for reconstruction of the passengers' terminal as well. This company reconstructs Lidia and Sirena hotels in Golden sands resort and the building of BNR and at this moment the company constructs a business centre on the place of the Library in Sofia. Airport Sofia has reached an agreement with the company to fixed the leeks of the roof.
Source: Dnevnik (10.09.2001)

The national company Bulgarian State Railways /BDZ/ will have to receive from the budget BGN 20 million for the execution of its reconstruction programme. The offer is cooperated with the Minister of Finance Mr. Milen Veltchev. In the budget for this year was planned BGN 20 milllion to be granted to Sofia airport. The airport will not spend these funds and the team of the Minister of Transport and Communications Mr. Plamen Petrov offers to grant them to BDZ. The reconstruction programme of BDZ envisages a renew of 417 km railway road.
Source: BTA (27.09.2001)

The auctions for constructors of the new track and passengers terminal of Sofia Airport will be conducted during the period 15 October - 1 November. Soon will also be announced the auction for executor of the project for strengthening of the river. Sofia Airport will not cease its activity during the period of the reconstruction. The Supreme Administrative Court rejected two days ago the claims of the owners of real estates in the plots determined for construction there is nothing else postponing the execution of the project. The full project will cost EUIR 226 million. This sum includes the money for compensations of the owners. Totally 856 decres will be alienated for the construction of the new airport. Over 42 decres will be constructed buildings. In accordance to the plan at Airport Sofia will arrive 2.5 million passengers annually.
Source: BTA (04.10.2001)

The Ministry of Transport and Communications requested a financial revision of Bulgarian Telecommunication Company (BTC), the airports in Sofia, Varna and Bourgas, Navigation Maritime Bulgare (BMF), Bulgarian River Navigation (BRP), the factory for wagons in Dryanovo, the factory for automatics and telemechanics and the trade company Transimpex. BTC, BRF and BMF are in procedures for privatization. The Government made two unsuccessful attempts to sell Transimpex and then transferred the company to PA. The revision will include the period 2000-2001.
Source: Dnevnik (25.10.2001)

The Belgium company BIAC takes a serious interest not only in Varna port but also in the airports in Sofia and Bourgas. This became clear after the meeting of the Prime Minister Mr. Simeon Sakskoburtggotski with the Executive Director of the company Mr. Piere Klees. Mr. Klees presented to the Prime Minister a project for reconstruction and modernization of Varna airport. Meanwhile it became clear that the airport nearby Plovdiv will have a new Director within the end of the week.
Source: Standart (26.10.2001)

The Minister of Transport and Communications Mr. Plamen Petrov changed a part of the Board of Government of Bulgarian State Railways. The new members are Deputy Ministers of Transport and Communications Ms. Zlatolina Mukova and Mr. Lujbomil Ivanov, Mr. Nahit Zia, Mr. Anton Burov and Mr. Anton Ginev from the company. There also will be made changes in the Board of Directors of Navigation Maritime Bulgare.
Source: Dnevnik (31.10.2001)

Sofia airport is closed for landing between 11 o'clock p.m and 6 o'clock a.m in order to be reduced the noise over the night for the neighbouring residential regions. The decision was taken by the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Ministry of Ecology. The contract of Balkan with Helly air also will be changed.
Source: Standart (12.11.2001)

The auctions for the construction of the track system and a passengers' terminal at Airport Sofia, announced the Deputy Minister of Transport Mr. Zdravko Velichkov will be announced before Christmas. National Experts Council will accept the projects on 26 and 27 November.
Source: Novinar (22.11.2001)

Sofia Airport returned its possession of the parking and income of DEM 30 000, was reported from the Ministry of Transport. The parking has been used since 1995 and the airport has so far been damaged with DEM 1 million. This was the first property that the airport had to return.
Source: BTA (04.01.2002)

The resignation of the Deputy Minister of Transport Mr. Zdravko Velichkov was accepted by the Prime Minister, was reported from the press-centre of the Council of Ministers. Mr. Velichkov was under investigation for violations while he was a Director of Sofia Airport and Hemus Air. It is not clear yet who will take his position in the Ministry of Transport.
Source: Standart (08.01.2002)

The expected amount of the incomes of Airport Sofia as for 2001 is about BGN 47 530 000. The growth as compared to 2001 is about BGN 6 800 000 or 16 per cent, was reported from the Management of the Airport. The amount of the expected profit of the company is BGN 17 700 000, which is with BGN 2 657 000 or 17 per cent more as compared to 2000. The growth of the incomes is due mainly to the development of the activity of the company on the ground and the free of duty trade.
Source: BTA (10.01.2002)

Bulgarian State Railways has reported a loss of BGN 120 million as for 2001, show the data of the Ministry of Transport. The negative result of the company for 2000 was BGN 87 million. Airport Sofia has reported a profit in amount of BGN 11.8 million for the last year and BTC - a profit of BGN 180 million.
Source: Standart (10.01.2002)

The European programme ISPA will finance in 2002 9 projects from Bulgaria. The financial resource of ISPA envisages distribution of EUR 1 billion between the 10th countries candidates for EU for the period 2000-2006. The funds will be necessary for reconstruction of Sofia airport and a stake of clearing stations in Haskovo, Dimitrovgrad and Stara Zagora. The construction of a complex dung-hill in Kurjali amounts to EUR 8 million, EUR 6 million of which will come from ISPA.
Source: Pari (14.01.2002)

The losses of Balkan airline for 2001 are in amount of BGN 61.991 million, announced the syndic of the company Mrs. Olga Milenkova. The annual reports of the national career are not ready because in accordance to Accounting Law the term for their preparation is 31 March 2002. The syndics are arranging the regular paying of the debts of the airline to Sofia Airport, LUKoil and all other companies which are attending the flights of the company. The reconstruction programme of the company is not accepted yet.
Source: Duma (29.01.2002)

The total growth of the profit of BTC for the last year is 24 per cent. Only for the fourth quarter of the year it is 65 per cent, announced the Minister of Transport and Communications Mr. Plamen Petrov. The results of Sofia airport also were pointed as very good.
Source: BTA (31.01.2002)

The Ministry of Transport and Communications presented to the competent bodies information for misuses in BTC, declared the Minister of Transport and Communications Mr. Plamen Petrov. The misuses are made through different technical methods - through telephones for entertainment, throgh dialing of mobile numbers and others.
Source: BTA (14.02.2002)

The real deadline for starting the construction of a new track of Sofia airport is July 22. By May 28 in the Ministry of Transport will be accepted offers for executor of the project. 12 companies will take part in the procedure. Within 10 days in Internet will be published the requirements for international consultant that will prepare a project for construction of Danube-bridge 2.
Source: Standart (28.02.2002)

Sofia Airport opened an auction for transport companies which will transport the passengers from the airport to the city. At the auction may participate only companies and sole proprietors, who has no debts to the State and have violated no contracts with the airport. Another requirement for the applicants in the auction is that they should not be related to other participants in the procedure. This is the first auction of this kind conducted by Airport Sofia.
Source: Dnevnik (04.03.2002)

On February 28 the Ministry of Transport and Communications sent invitations for participation in the auction for construction of the track system of Sofia airport to 12 approved candidates in the stage of pre-qualification. The candidates had to protect their professional names with proofs for successful execution of two project with a similar character during the last 7 years.
Source: Construction City (07.03.2002)

Six taximeter companies have submitted papers for participation in the tender for the taxi-cars at Sofia Airport, was announced by the Executive Director of the airport Mr. Stoil Pashkunov. The competition was announced in the beginning of the month, and the deadline for the submission of offers expired in the end of last week. Only one taximeter company will be selected. Àt the moment the authorities are checking whether the six companies meet the preliminary-announced criteria, explained Mr. Pashkunov. The candidates should be sole proprietorships or companies, which have no liabilities to the state. After this, negotiations will start about the price and tariffs for transport of passengers. Mr. Pashkunov also added that they are expecting for the chosen company to start working about April 15.
Source: Pari (26.03.2002)

OK Supertrans and Taxi S Express are the companies which passed the preliminary procedure at the auction for the taxi-cabs, at Sofia Airport, announced the Executive Director of the Airport Mr. Stoil Pashkunov. Both companies requested additional information for the state of the vehicles. Five companies have purchased auction documentary. The purpose of the auction was to be avoided the transportation of the passengers from the airport at extremely high prices.
Source: Pari (16.04.2002)

The construction of the new Sofia Airport will start during the autumn, was reported from the Ministry of Transport. The European Commission has sent the documentary necessary for the conduction of the auction for lot 1, which includes the construction of passengers' terminal and its infrastructure. The documenatry will be launched for sale within a week. 14 companies and consortiums have applied initial offers. 10 companies has purchased auction documentary for participation in the construction of a new track.
Source: Standart (19.04.2002)

The company OK super trans won the auction for the taxi cabs at Sofia airport. The competition was declared in the beginning of March and its point was only one taxi company to transport from the airport to the centre at reasonable prices. The requirements to the candidates were 100 own automobiles, not older than 5 years. The other condition was the companies to offer reasonable prices for rent of an office, a property of the airport. At the second place was graded the company Taxi S Express.
Source: Pari (24.04.2002)

After six month negotiations the European Investments Bank /EIB/ had finally forwarded a letter on the Lot B1 construction tender, comprising a passengers terminal and the adjacent infrastructure, said Dimitar Zoev, heading the Transport Policy Department of the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The selection procedure starts today. I hope by end-September we will be able to sign a contract with the best bidder, said transport minister Plamen Petrov. The project will be financed with EUR 50 million extended by the EU ISPA program and a loan of EUR 60 million floated by EIB, plus funding from the republican budget, Zoev announced. Applications have been filed by the German companies Siemens, Strabad International GmbH, ED ZUBLIN AG, the Belgian BESIX, the French SDUMEZ GTM and Bouigues, the English Bechtel, and the joint companies Philipp Holzmann, Sofia Airport Construction Group, Universale Bau AG, AerSofia, Group Italstrade/Ferostaal, Hochtief and Glavbolgarstroy JSC - Sofia, and venture Walter Bau-dywidag. Another tender for a new runway and the adjacent infrastructure, denoted as Lot B2, will be held in parallel. I expect the whole project on the modernization of the Sofia Airport, worth a total of EUR 220 million, to be completed by 2005, Dimitar Zoev said.
Source: Monitor (09.05.2002)

The auction for selection of a chief executor for construction of new passenger terminal, a part of the project for reconstruction, development and modernization of Sofia airport, the so called LOT B1, started on May 9, 2002. The construction is financed with gratis aid of EUR 50 million on ISPA, a credit of EUR 60 million from European Investment Bank, funds from the state budget and from own incomes. By August 9 the candidates have to present their offers and the public opening of the auction offers will be done at 3 o'clock p.m at Sofia airport. The aim is the contract with the company executor to be signed till the and of September and to start the construction works. 14 companies and consortium have the right to participate in the current auction, after the done an year ago preliminary selection of candidates. The preliminary selection was done after an international auction under the standards of European and Investment Bank. 15 companies were selected in the short list, but meanwhile it become clear that two of the companies Siemens and Zublin was united in a consortium.
Source: Construction City (13.05.2002)

Sofia Airport reported net profit in amount of BGN 13.1 million for the previous year, was announced from the Management of the Airport. The company has paid taxes in amount of BGN 8 million. The profit is with BGN 3 million more as compared to 2000. The growth of the incomes and the profit is due to the raising of the airport fees and the reducing of the expenditures.
Source: Standart (18.05.2002)

The Ministry of Transport and Communications discusses the construction of a cargo terminal at the new Sofia Airport in order to be finished the entire transport junction, announced the the Minister Mr. Plamen Petrov at the opening of the governmental VIP of the airport. Simultaneously with construction of the new passenger terminal and track will continue the negotiations with the Italian company for construction of inter-modal terminal close to the village of Kazichene and bulwark works of Iskar river, Mr. Petrov expalined. About BGN 7 million were spent for the reconstruction of the governmental VIP. From them BGN 1.4 million are given to the private company Danleks for equipment and furnishing. At the moment only 400 people can use the entrance against USD 60 per each person.
Source: Pari (23.05.2002)

The deadline for applying of offers in the Ministry of Transport and Communications for the execution of the construction of the new runway track of Sofia Airport which expires tomorrow was prolonged with three weeks up to June 18. The reason for the prolongation is the great interest of the companies and the fact that some of them are merged in consortiums. On May 8, 2002 the Ministry of Transport and Communications opened the tender, through which will be selected an executor of the project Lot B1 - construction of the passenger terminal and its infrastructure connected with it. Simultaneously with it continue the procedure of Lot B2 - construction of new runway track system. The whole project must be completed in 2005.
Source: BTA (28.05.2002)

The offers of the applicants for the construction of the tracks in Sofia Airport will be opened today at 15 o'clock, announced the Director of Reconstruction and Development Department of the Airport Mr. Vladimir Jekov. It is expected that offers have applied several consortiums - the German concern Hohtif together with Glavbulgarstroy, the Austrian Strabag, the Korean Hyundai, the Italian SSS Salini Kosrutori. One of the requirements to the applicants was to have an annual turnover in amount of at least USD 60 million.
Source: Standart (18.06.2002)

Seven solid Bulgarian construction companies or unions and eight companies for construction supervision submitted offers in the open procedure for the entrusting of public tender for executor of the consolidation of the Iskar river, south from Sofia Airport. The offers were disclosed for review and assessment on June 6, 2002 by the auction committees in the building of the airport. The procedures were announced in issue 44 of the State Gazette on April 29 2002. The "Civil Aeronautical Administration" General Department with the Ministry of Transport and Communications. The final executors in the two auctions are expected to become know within a week.
Source: Construction City (18.06.2002)

Six candidates submitted offers for participation in the competition for the construction of Sofia Airport (Lot B2) and the belonging infrastructure. The deadline for the submission of offers was yesterday. The new runway must be 3600 m long and 45 m wide. The total value of the project for Lot B2 is EUR 65 million, where USD 40 million are granted by the Kuwait fund for Arabian Economic Development and the rest are from the budget. The joint company Strabag-Austria and Granit-Bulgaria offers to execute the project for USD 64.152 million with an alternative offer for USD 1.5 million less. The consortium Sarco /J/V Ed. Zueblin-Germany; Walter-Heilit-Verkehrswegebau GmbH-Germany; Motstroy JSC - Bulgaria submitted an offer for USD 60.843 million. The joint company Consolidated Contractors Company W.L.L. /CCC Kuwait and Salini Construttori S.p.A. - Italy/ made its offer for USD 60.5 million without an alternative offer or any allowances. Joint-venture Mohammed Abdourmohsin Al/ General Contracting & Industrial Structures W. L.L. - Kuwait and Admak General Contracting Company - United Arab Åmirates/ offered USD 62.601 million with an option for an allowance of USD 9.628 million. The joint company Italstrade/Italstrade S.p.A. - Italy joined the group of the submitters of offers in the last minute; Patstroy 92- Bulgaria; Ferrostaal Aktiengesellschaft - Germany with an offer of USD 57.901 million and an allowance of 4.41 per cent from the price, Alarko/Alsim Alarko Anayi Tesislerive Ticaret A.S./ Turkey; Avtomagistrali - Black Sea - Bulgaria and Associated Construction Company W.L.L. - Kuwait/ offered USD 63.840 million with 1 per cent allowance and an alternative offer for USD 61.520 million.
Source: Pari (19.06.2002)

Bulgaria will obtain 18.78 per cent from a total of EUR 3.46 billion, granted for 46 projects in South-Eastern Europe according to data as of June 17. Bulgaria occupies the number two-position, after Romania, with five projects for a total of EUR 650 million. The most exensive project for Bulgaria is the reconstruction of Sofia Airport - for EUR 210 million. The construction of a second bridge over the Danube river costs EUR 180 million, and of Lom Port - EUR 50 million. The rehabilitation of the transit roads is evaluated at EUR 40 million and the reconstruction and electrification of the high-speed section Plovdiv-Svilengrad - at EUR 170 million. 65.33 per cent of the financing for the region is for transport projects, 20.25 per cnet - for the electric power engineering, 9.55 per cent - for the water sector and the environment, 4.87 per cent - for transborder cooperation and trade facilitation.
Source: BTA (21.06.2002)

The debts of Balkan Airline to Sofia Airport reached BGN 3 million, was announced by the airport's Executive Director Mr. Stoil Pashkunov. Half of the debts are as of the moment of the announcement of the former national transporter in insolvency procedure. The rest are current liabilities.
Source: Standart (27.06.2002)

Six are the candidates for construction of a new track at Sofia airport. The offers will be evaluated by a special tender commission and for contractor will be selected this candidate that offers the lowest price if it responds to all additional requirements of the tender. Special preferences will be used by companies who engage companies from Bulgaria and Kuwait. The candidates are only consortiums. These are Consolidated contractors' company - Kuwait, Sarko that includes the German Zujblin and Bulgarian Moststroy.
Source: Capital (30.06.2002)

The Kuwait-Arabian consortium Mohammed Àbdulmohsin Al-Kharafi & Sons and Admak General Contracting Company was placed on first position in the auction for a constructor of the new air-track f Sofia Airport, announced the Executive Director of the Airoport Mr. Stoil Pashkunov. The offer of the consortium was for USD 62.6 million with a discount of USD 9.6 million. Which means that after the trade negotiations the price will be reduced up to USD 52-53 million. The average annual turnover of both companies is about USD 460 million It is expected that the contract with the consortium will be concluded in the middle of September.
Source: Dnevnik (10.07.2002)

Four companies applied offers for the construction of the new passengers terminal of Sofia Airport within the deadline, which expired yesterday. The German company Starbak offered the lowest price. Its offer is at a value of EUR 110 608 319,35 as the company gave a discount of 1.5 per cent of the price. The rest f the applicants have offered prices of among EUR 122.8 and EUR 150.8. The applicants are Sofia Airport Construction Group, the consortium between the German Hohtif and the Bulgarian Glavbolgarstroy and the Slovakian company SCT.
Source: Standart (12.08.2002)

Lebanese businessmen will construct a factory for repair of airplanes in Bulgaria. IMC company, which is registered in the USA is one of the forth companies in the world which has license for repair of Boeing and Airbus. It has a license for construction of Russian airplanes as well, announced the Deputy Minister of Economy Mr. Milen Keremedchiev. The Lebanese businessmen will arrive on a visit in Bulgaria tomorrow.
Source: Standart (12.08.2002)

Òhe issue with the Balkan Airlines JSC will be finally solved in November, most likely by way of liquidation. This was announced Bulgaria the Minister of Transport and Communication Mr. Plamen Petrov yesterday. He again spoke of three mysterious foreign investors, as is the rule, who will be willing to assume the debts of the company. We will not leave the country without a national carrier, Petrov stated. The Government will suggest that the state share in the carrier is some 50 per cent. The remaining 50 per cent can be shared by Bulgarian companies.
Source: Pari (15.08.2002)

Sofia Airport officially received a State property act for the land for the new passengers terminal, announced the Executive Director Mr. Stoil Pashkunov. By the end of August will be elected the Chief Executor for the construction of the new terminal. The report of the auction commission will be send to adopting by the Delegation of the European Commission. Four companies applied offers for the final stage of the auction for the construction of the terminal. The project became possible since during September 1997 was concluded contract for a loan in amount of EUR 60 million between Bulgaria, the European Investment Bank and Sofia Airport.
Source: Pari (23.08.2002)

The fourth most important investment projects for Bulgaria - Transit roads 3, Sofia Airport, Danube bridge 2 and the electrification of the railroad Plovdiv-Svilengrad, for which the ISPA programme of the European Union will grant finances in amount of EUR 238 million were discussed by the experts yesterday. Representatives of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, of the Ministry of Finances, the Ministry of Transport, of Roads Executive Agency and the Delegation of the European Commission in Bulgaria have discussed the joint budgets of each project, the participation of the State budget as co-financing and the final deadlines for the execution of the projects. The financial participation of Bulgaria is a an obligatory condition for receiving the money The total value of the fourth segments from the Transit Roads project is EUR 40 million. EUR 30 million from them will be granted on the ISPA programme and the other EUR 10 million will be provided by the budget. The budget for the reconstruction of Sofia Airport is EUR 135.13 million, EUR 50 million from which is on the ISPA programme. The electrification of the Svilengrad-Plovdiv segment is with a budget of BGN 340 million, EUR 153 million from which are on the ISPA programme.
Source: Dnevnik (28.08.2002)

The financial results of Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) for the first six months of the year are not good, the three international airports - Sofia, Varna and Burgas, reported a profit and income growth for the same period. The ports in Varna, Ruse and Lom are with good financial indicators, while in Burgas there are problems. This information is according to data provided by the Ministry of Transport and Communications. At a press conference today, the Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Ms. Zlatolina Mukova announced the results from the activities of the companies with the ministry for the first half of the year.
Source: BTA (29.08.2002)

Sofia Airport owes BGN 12 million to Balkan and does not have the right to stop the landing service of the carrier, was reported from the company. The syndics of Balkan Ms. Olga Milenkova and Mr. Hristo Mollov submitted a claim request in the Court of Arbitrage of Bulgarian trade-Industrial Chamber. The request insists that the airline doesn't have debts to the airport. Balkan paid BGN 710 000 but received a new invitation from the airport to pay BGN 1.4 million by October 19. The syndics of the airline want Sofia Airport to be sued to pay to Balkan BGN 1.3 million because it sells fuel at higher than the average price of the European airports.
Source: Dnevnik (09.10.2002)

Balkan Airline did not pay to Sofia airport in the defined deadline. The syndics of the airline refused to pay the current debts to the airport. As of October 7 they are BGN 1.432 million.
Source: Standart (11.10.2002)

The General Meeting of the creditors did not accept the reconstruction plan of Balkan offered by the two syndics Ms. Olga Milenkova and Mr. Hristo Mollov. The agenda of the meeting included only one item - voting of the prepared by the syndics of Balkan Airline reconstruction plan. The final result of the voting of the creditors with direct receipts for BGN 220 053 482 shows that 21 of them voted for the reconstruction plan. More of the big creditors who present the State voted against the plan.
Source: BTA (30.10.2002)

The State will distribute between BGN 10 million and BGN 30 million from the fiscal reserve for creation of the new national carrier Balkan air tour, announced the Minister of Finance Mr. Milen Velchev. The Government have not still decided for the granting of the amount but it is not so high. Bulgarian air tour is 100 per cent state-owned company, a property of Sofia airport and at the moment sells tickets to Balkan. The new company and the aviation team 28 have already signed contract for the rent of one airplane Tu-154 and later will be hired hired other machines.
Source: Dnevnik (31.10.2002)

Contracts for the total amount of EUR 120 million were signed with European Investment bank in the Ministry of Finance. On the first project the bank grants USD 60 million for renew of Sofia airport and on the second - other EUR 60 million for renew of the electro-distributing system of the State. The funds on the two projects were granted in 1997. The re-sign of the two contracts with the bank was done because of the prolong of the deadline for spending the funds.
Source: Monitor (21.11.2002)

The construction of a new air track and passengers terminal of Sofia Airport will start during the next year, announced a representative of the Ministry of Transport. It is expected that by the end of the year will be concluded the contracts with the Kuwait-Arabian consortium Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi & Sons and Admak General Contracting Company and a consortium of the German company Strabak. The Kuwait investment Fund for Arabian Development will grant USD 40 million for the construction of the new track. The rest of the finances will be provided from the incomes of the Airport. European Investment Bank will grant EUR 60 million for the construction of the passengers terminal. EUR 50 million are provided on the ISPA programme.
Source: Dnevnik (26.11.2002)

On December 16 in the Ministry of Transport and Communications will take place the official ceremony on sign of the contract for execution of the construction of Lot B1 - construction of new passenger terminal and infrastructure, as a part of the general project for Reconstruction, development and enlargement of Sofia Airport. After execution of the project Sofia airport will be completely in accordance with the European standards. The execution of the project will provide 2200 new work-places through direct engagement in the construction. With construction of the new airport in Sofia will improve the whole air infrastructure.
Source: BTA (14.12.2002)

The state guarantee for the loan from the European Investment Bank for financing of projects for reconstruction and expanding of Sofia Airport is an acceptable state financial aid, was decided at a meeting of the Competition Protection Commission. The anti-trust commission decided that that the state aids are allowed if Airport Sofia SPJSC informs the Commission on every change in the terms of the credit.
Source: Sega (20.12.2002)

The cabinet announced its decision to establish a Consultative Council with the Ministry of Economy for monitoring the fiscal discipline and fiscal performance of the companies in which the state owns more than 50% of the capital. The council will be chaired by deputy prime minister and minister of economy Nikolay Vassilev and will include the ministers of finance, economy, regional development, agriculture and forestry.
Source: Pari (22.01.2003)

The Greek company Promota Helas JSC will invest EUR 10 million in an international logistic centre in the region of Sofia Airport. The investment project of Promota envisages the construction of own area of international center for printing of advertising materials and logistics. The production of the centre will be distributed through 8000 European distributors. The Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Nikolai Vassilev assured the CEO of Promota that the Government will support the project. The foreign company is the biggest in Greece for manufacture of advertising materials and logistic and is one of the fifth biggest in the branch.
Source: Pari (28.02.2003)

The losses of Sofia Airport, resulting from the war in Iraq, will most probably reach USD 27 thousand, announced the company's executive director Mr. Stoil Pashkunov. If the military actions continue until the end of June, the losses of the airport will be USD 160 thousand, and until the end of the year - USD 270 thousand. This, of course, are only forecasts.
Source: Pari (03.04.2003)

Half of the airplane stations at Sofia airport will be closed as of June 1, announced the Deputy Minister of Transport Mr. Milcho Milanov. This measure will be taken because of the requirements of the constructor of the new airport that will be near the existing now. 12 stations from totally 21 will be closed. The airplanes, which have so far parked there, will have to do that at the airports in Plovdiv, Burgas or Varna. According to Mr. Milanov this will cause a difficulty mostly for the Bulgarian airlines. The Director of Bulgaria air charter airline Mr. Philip Mustakov announced that the Minister of Transport Mr. Plamrn Petrov offered to 5 Bulgarian companies a strange way to participate in Bulgaria air’s privatization. He invited the Directors of Hemus air, Air Via, BH Air and Air Sofia and after he mentioned that the market conditions for them were quite unfavourable, he offered them to merge the companies in the national airline. According to Mr. Mustakov and his colleagues this is quite irresponsible because Bulgaria air does not have assets and the trade rights on flights will be terminated soon.
Source: Sega (10.04.2003)

The new Bulgarian national airline Bulgaria air accumulated losses of BGN 2.117 million only in the first three months of its existence. The first official flight of the company took place on December 4, 2002. At its establishment was decided to be financed by the fiscal reserve with up to BGN 30 million. In spite of the crisis in the Bulgarian aviation , the traffic at Sofia airport is heavy.
Source: Trud (14.04.2003)

Balkan Airlines suspended all flights yesterday late afternoon. Its employees blockaded the only road to the Sofia Airport. The decision for the blockade was taken at the general meeting of the company’s employees after The General Shareholders’ Meeting rejected the sanitary plan of the assignees in bankruptcy. The Deputy Minister of Transport Mr. Milcho Milanov was at the place and tried to calm down the protesters explaining the reason why the state in the person of the big creditors voted for the liquidation of the company. Otherwise we would have rehabilitated Gad Zeevi and this would not have been beneficial to the company, said Mr. Milanov.
Source: Black sea (11.06.2003)

The cargo zone of the bankrupted airline Balkan will be sold for about BGN 500 million. This is a small part of Sofia airport that was possessed by Balkan. The tender for this part is being prepared by the syndics Mr. Stanislav Lutov and Mr. Radoslav Tonev and will finish today. There is not a great interest in the tender. The actual valuation of the whole property of Balkan is BGN 95 million.
Source: Pari (20.06.2003)

The construction of the new passenger terminal of Sofia Airport was delayed almost four months, since the Austrian company Strabag demanded change in the project. The reason for this delay is a new geological research performed by the Austrian company, which proved that the terrain is unstable and the project should be altered. This will increase the amount of investment required under the project with EUR 4.5 million – EUR 40 million.
Source: Dnevnik (01.07.2003)

If the German company Strabag does not initiate the construction of the new passengers terminal at Sofia Airport by September 19, it is possible the contract with the company to be ceased and we will initiate negotiations with the companies which occupied second and the third position at the auction, announced the Deputy Prime Minister Mr.,. Nikolay Vasilev. Mr. Vasilev announced that Bulgaria hopes this measures will not be needed and Strabag, which among the leaders in its sector will initiate the construction on time.
Source: Monitor (11.09.2003)

EUR 10 million will be granted by EU, and EUR 5 331 043 by the Bulgarian Government, for 21 road sections leading to places of tourist interest. Consortium Rodopi, consortium Trakia, Mesohoriti - Patni Stroezhi - Veliko Turnovo and Glavbolgarstroy won the tenders in the project under the PHARE programme. The execution contracts were signed yesterday, which is the starting date of the 15 months, within which the construction activities should be completed.The contract for LOT 1 is fo EUR 3 105 000.
Source: Pari (07.10.2003)

The contract for the construction of a new terminal of Sofia Airport made be dissolved. The reason is the fact that the Austrian company Straba, which won the auction for the construction is not executing its obligations. The company has its last chance to present the documentary, which the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Mr. Nikolay Vasilev requested on Monday. Mr. Vasilev explained that he requested information when will be finalized the new terminal, how much will it cost and why. The deadline, in which Straba had to provide this information was September 19, but the answers were not received yet.
Source: Standart (07.11.2003)

There is still no final decision as to whether Strabag International will remain executor of the project for the modernization of Sofia ariport, Ministry of Transport announced after a meeting between Minister Nikolay Vassilev and the managers of the Austrian company. Both sides were asked to provide additional information, which will be discussed during a new meeting today, the Ministry's press service explained. In the end of last week, Minister Vassilev threatened to annul the contract with Strabag due to the 8-month delay in the construction activities.
Source: Monitor (11.11.2003)

The consultant for the construction of the new terminal of Sofia Airport NAKO requested more finances for the execution of the project, became clear after a meeting between representatives of the company and the executor of the project – Strabag with the Minister of Transport Mr. Nikolay Vasilev and his Deputy Ms. Sofia Kasidova. Both companies requested prolongation of the deadline for the execution of the project as well.
Source: Standart (12.11.2003)

Sofia will have a modern airport like London’s Heathrow in less then two years. The construction of the new facility will continue at high rates, according to the agreement reached between the Deputy Prime Minister Nikolay Vasilev and Strabag. The Austrian company is due to build the airport’s new terminal. The construction was terminated a couple of months ago, when Strabag asked for higher price and extended implementation term. After long negotiations and even rumours that the contract with Strabag will be broken, the Minister of Transport Mr. Nikolay Vasilev managed to reach an agreement for less than EUR 5 million increase of the price. The terminal will be ready by August 31 2005, Strabag promised.
Source: Standart (17.11.2003)

European Investment Bank will extend the first tranche of the loan for the construction of Sofia airport. The bank will provide for modernization and reconstruction of the airport for totally EUR 60 000 000. By the final payment of the loan Sofia airport will gather all fees for landing, parking and service of the passengers.
Source: Standart (28.11.2003)

Four Balkan states – Croatia, Bosnia and Herzigovina, Albania and Macedonia, stated they were interested in creating one mutual air company on the Balkans. This was announced by Mr. Milen Keremedchiev – our representative in the Stability Pact. The leading country in the project is Bulgaria, which will give its airport in Sofia as a base for the new air company, and Serbia will provide the airplanes. The financing of the project will be provided by EBRD.
Source: Sega (08.12.2003)

The national airline Bulgaria Air did not pay regularly the fees for service of passengers and airplanes at the airports Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas. According to newspaper’s sources, the profit of BGN 1.108 million for the nine months of 2003 was not real because the financial results do not reveal the debts to the airports. Bulgaria Air pays its debts to Sofia Airport with a little delay, said the Executive Director of Sofia airport Mr. Stoil Pashkunov. According to him, the airport fees only for the last month were not paid.
Source: Pari (05.01.2004)

Minister of Finance Milen Velchev signed the permits for operation of commercial duty-free outlets to 14 companies, operating a totla of 49 outlets. The permits are valid for a period of at least three years. For each separate outlet the term is starting to pass once the term of the previous contract expires. The working group suggested to the Minister of Finance to issue new permits for duty free trade outlets operation to the following companies: AIDATOUR JSC, Amphora SP Ltd. Belatour JSC, BNK Ltd., Vassilevi Bros. Ltd., Deneb JSC, Corecom Princess JSC, Varna Airport SP JSC, Bourgas Airport SP JSC, Sofia Airport SP JSc, Panchatantra SP Ltd, Seacom JSC, Sofcom Ltd. and Transimpex JSC.
Source: Dnevnik (05.01.2004)

The turnovers of the free shops for the last year have increased with about 30 per cent and of the biggest chain of duty-free shops Transimpex – with 50 per cent. According to experts, the reason is the numerous inspections in the duty-free objects that had a discipline effect. The Minister of Finance Mr. Velchev continued the licenses for free trade of 14 operators with 49 shops. These are Aidatour, Amfora, Belatour, BNK, Vassilevi Brothers, Deneb, Corecom-Princess, the airports in Varna, Burgas and Sofia, Panchatantra, Seacom and Transimpex.
Source: Novinar (06.01.2004)

One of the candidates for the real estate of the bankrupt air company Balkan offered to pay BGN 508 386 for them. This offer is almost twice bigger than the announced selling price, which was in the amount of BGN 268 120.
Source: Pari (07.01.2004)

The Government ratified changes in the contract for a loan with Kuwait fund for Arabian economic development for construction of a new track at Sofia airport. The initial contract is for USD 40 million and was signed in 1998. Later it was corrected and in it were included funds for general and preparatory works and consulting services. The change in the contract was signed on May 9, 2003 and the final amount is EUR 40.078 million.
Source: Pari (09.01.2004)

The Kuwait-Arabian consortium Mohammed Abdulmuhsin Al-Kharafi&sons and Admak General Contracting Company, which is building the new air-track in Sofia airport requested actualization of the contract. The actualization was requested because the contract which was signed during March 2003 at USD/BGN exchange rate 2.20, while at the moment the exchange rate USD/BGN 1.50. This makes the contract terms unfavorable for the consortium.
Source: Pari (22.03.2004)

The project for construction of the new track at Sofia airport is in standstill. On one side, the Kuwait-Arabian consortium Mohammed Abdulmuhsin Al-Kharafi&sons and Admak General Contracting Company that builds the new track, wants to actualize the contract. The actualization is required because the contract for the track construction was signed in March 2003 at BGN 2.20 per dollar and now the exchange rate is BGN 1.50 per dollar. This makes the conditions quite unprofitable for the Kuwait side. The consortium has not still sent an official letter, in which to point out the exact increase of the funds, connected with the project.
Source: Pari (06.04.2004)

The project for construction of a new passenger terminal at Sofia airport is morally old and is not functional because of its low financial value. According to experts, the provided EUR 110.500 million are the lowest value for such a project in Europe. The problem is set even in 1998 when the financial frame of the project was done. Experts also comment that the preliminary estimated funds for reconstruction of the airport exceed the real value of the terminal’s construction and of the track.
Source: Pari (19.04.2004)

Representatives of Kuwait-Arabian consortium Mohammed Abdulmuhsin Al-Kharafi&sons and Admak General Contracting Company, which is building the new track at Sofia airport, are in Bulgaria to negotiate with the Ministry of Transport and Communications for actualization of the contract. Some time ago the constructor demanded an actualization of the contract because it was signed in March, 2003 at exchange rate of BGN 2.20 per US dollar and at the moment the rate is a little over BGN 1.50. This makes the conditions quite unprofitable for Kuwait. The foreign investors took interest in the construction of highways and road segments. Probably this made the consortium stop the works on the new track.
Source: Pari (18.05.2004)

Prime minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha placed the cornerstone of a new logistic terminal to be built by Dutch Royal Frans Maas Group near Bulgaria's Sofia Airport. The company has invested EUR 15 million in the project, which makes the Netherlands the biggest foreign investor in Bulgaria. According to Mr. Sax-Coburg-Gotha, 2004 will be the year of greenfield investment. Royal Frans Maas Group is a public company, listed on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange. It has 214 affiliates in 32 states and an annual turnover of over EUR 1 billion. The consultant in this project is UK-based Vector Management Limited, represented in Bulgaria by Vector Management Bulgaria.
Source: Pari (20.05.2004)

I expect that the Kuwaiti consortium, which builds the new track on Sofia airport, will request two or three weeks postponement of the execution of the project, announced Deputy Minister of Transport Ms. Sofia Kasidova. The reason for the postponement is inaccuracies in the project, developed by the Dutch consultant company NAKO. The deadline for the construction of the new track expires during April 2005. The passengers terminal, which the Austrian company Schrabak is building, has to be finalized during August 2005.
Source: Sega (21.05.2004)

The new runway at Bulgaria's Sofia airport will be completed a few months after the passenger terminal, which has to be ready by the end of August. According to sources, familiar with the course of events, the Kuwait-Arab Mohammed Abdulmuhsin Al-Kharafi&Sons and Admak General Contracting Company will also gain additional funds from the building of the runway. The project is financed with EUR 43.500 million. The building asked for actualization, explaining the contract was signed in March 2003, when the USD exchange rate was BGN 2.20 per USD 1, and the current USD exchange rate is BGN 1.50 per USD 1.
Source: Pari (25.05.2004)

European Investment Bank granted the first tranche for the construction of the new passenger terminal in Airport Sofia, the Ministry of Transport announced. The amount of the funds is EUR 6 mln and they will be transferred for particular expenditures on demand of the chief project executor – the Austrian Company Strabag. The Bank invests EUR 60 mln in the project. The funds will be granted on a quarterly basis according to the Ministry of Transport and Communications plans.
Source: Pari (15.06.2004)

Sofia Airport reported a record-high BGN 9.320 mln profit after taxation for the first half of 2004. This is the airport’s best financial result ever, the company’s CEO Mr. Stoil Pashkulov said. According to forecast, the airport is expected to end the fiscal year with a profit of BGN 18.470 mln. Over the review period, the airport has serviced 14-per cent more airplanes y/y, and the number of passengers has increased with 143 000 people.
Source: Standart (14.07.2004)

The Government approved an annex to the contract between Bulgaria and Kuwaiti Fund for Arab Economic Development under which the country takes a USD 40 million loan for construction of a new runway at Sofia Airport. The deadline of the grace period was postponed to December 31, 2006, while the previous agreement envisaged it to expire at the end of 2005. The prolongation is needed because the main contractors for the construction of the runway, Mohammed Abdulmuhsin Al-Kharaf&sons as well as Admak General Contracting Company asked for extension of the deadline for completion of the construction works and a higher price, too. No price increase for the construction works is envisaged, vice prime minister and minister of transport, Nikolay Vassilev, said. The initial contract with the Kuwaiti Fund for the constrution of a new runway, Lot B2, was signed in June 1998. The project for reconstruction of Sofia Airport includes also a plan for building anew passenger terminal, Lot b1 under which the European Investment Bank (EIB) extends EUR 60 million to Bulgaria.
Source: Pari (16.07.2004)

Defects that have appeared in the just laid tarmac of the taxi-ways of the Sofia International Airport will probably delay the ongoing expansion of the facility, Dnevnik has learned from two independent sources. Airport ground staff discovered ruptures, cracks and depressions on the tarmac surface in late June and reported them to the internal safety department. The parking- and taxi-ways where the malformations are concentrated are part of the ongoing project for the reconstruction and expansion of the airport but are already in use due to the lack of available capacity. The contractor in the project is construction firm Strabag. The tarmac was laid by Strabag subcontractor Trace Group. Half of the project's EUR 110.6 mln tab is financed with an ISPA grant while the remainder comes from the state budget and EIB.
Source: Dnevnik (23.07.2004)

M&M Air Cargo Services BG, a subsidiary of international forwarders Militzer&Munch, has opened a cargo terminal at the Sofia International Airport that will be used exclusively for air transportation, the company's managing director Mihail Danchev said on Wednesday. The 1.2 mln levs facility will absorb another 200,000 levs by the end of the year, an investment the company is confident will be recouped in some three to four years. The terminal sprawls over 5,200 sq m, with 75% of the storage area already rented to imports. It is already handling some 25 tons of incoming cargo daily. The terminal is built on the site of the sanitary cargo terminal of the defunct Balkan Airlines which M&M Air Cargo Services BG bought for 800,000 levs. The building was reconstructed and outfitted with temperature control equipment for the storage of pharmaceutical shipments that is serviced by a staff of 40. The company expects to be awarded by the end of this year an airport operator licence that will allow it to handle outgoing shipments as well. Millitzer&Munch, which does business in 28 countries in Europe and Asia, came to Bulgaria in 1991 and then seven years later M&M Air Cargo Services BG was set up. Apart from the cargo terminal a Sofia Airport, Militzer&Munch has another transport and forwarding terminal in Sofia, with an area of 30,000 sq m of which 15,000 are roofed. The company has offices in Bourgas, Plovdiv, Varna, Rousse, Pleven, Plovdiv and Vratsa and plans to invest in other industrial centres in this country.
Source: Dnevnik (29.07.2004)

The construction of a new 110.6 mln euro passenger terminal at the Sofia International Airport is facing an indefinite delay after the Bulgarian subcontractors involved in the project announced they will stop work on Monday over remuneration disputes with the main contractor, construction company Strabag. Trace Group, one of the three local firms subcontracted by Strabag, announced on Friday it was putting on hold construction works due to 'omissions in the project' that were causing delays, overrunning of the original costing targets and huge losses. The company has completed construction works worth 4.4 mln euro so far. The fixed-cost contracts between Strabag and its local partners were signed in November 2003. A recent spike in the price of reinforced concrete prompted the subcontractors to request from Strabag an update in the financial parameters of the deals but their move was unsuccessful. An extra 4.67 mln euro were added to the original project tab in November 2003 after it was discovered that the geological profile of the terrain would require a more expensive construction technique. Strabag also won an 8-month deadline extension. But now the contractor has demanded a new revision of the deal, citing the rise in steel prices. The transport ministry has so far been negative on prospects for a new tweak.
Source: Dnevnik (30.08.2004)

Deputy PM and Minister of Transport and Telecommunications Nikolay Vassilev is just about to fail the construction works at the most important object in this country - the Sofia Airport. He declined to allot the necessary sum of EUR 3 million for the building of the new passengers terminal to be finished. So, the works on the project for reconstruction of the airport will stop today due to lack of money. The last still working on Bulgarian building company Monolit 3 starts withdrawing its staff and machines this morning. The Balkanstroy Company downed the tools yesterday and the Trace Group Holding was the first to set the pace on Monday.
Source: Standart (01.09.2004)

Austria's company Strabag, which is engaged in the construction of the passenger terminal at Airport Sofia, will not put the case for increasing the cost of the project before the International Arbitration Court in Paris. Up to now it has asked the consultancy NACO to extend additional amount of between EUR 2.5 million and EUR 3.0 million due to the rise of the steel prices. The money should be approved by the consultancy company first and after that by the European Investment Bank (EIB) which finances the project. According to the Dutch NACO, which is a designer, advisor and supervisor of the project there are reasons for asking for additional money, but there is no clause in the contract with the government that will allow this. The contract says that the fluctuation in the prices of raw materials is taken on the constructor's account. According to Strabag's representatives, the set deadline August 31, 2005 will be met. The day before yesterday a Bulgarian subcontractor under the project, Trace group, stopped works on the terminal motivating that there were certain discrepancies in the project which would make the construction slower and more expensive.
Source: Pari (01.09.2004)

The Sofia Airport reconstruction will be completed by the end-2006 at the earliest, forecast Prof. Yonko Penev from the University of Architecture, Construction and Geodesy. The deadline set for the completion of the new passenger terminal was set for December 5, this year and later on it was extended to August 31, 2005. It is the Deputy Minister of Transport and Telecommunications Ms. Sofia Kassidova to blame for the delay, as she was misleading Deputy PM and Minister of Transport and Telecommunications Mr. Nikolay Vassilev furnishing him with inaccurate and incompetent information, said Prof. Penev.
Source: Standart (10.09.2004)

Bulgarian companies Balkanstroy and Monolit-3, which were building the premises of the new passenger terminal of the Sofia airport, are coming back at the site and resuming works, said the CEO of Balkanstroy Mr. Nikolay Kaloyanov. The two companies along with Construction Holding Trace Group stopped their work demanding from the Austrian company Strabag to cover their losses from the higher prices of the steel.
Source: Dnevnik (13.09.2004)

Construction works on the new passenger terminal at Sofia Airport are hardly likely to be resumed in full in the near future, the PARI daily found out. The problems arose from the disagreements between the contractor over the project, the Austrian Strabag, and the Dutch NACO, which is a designer, advisor and supervisor of the project, insiders commented. Strabag asked NACO to extend additional amount of EUR 3.0 million due to the rise of the steel prices. The money should be approved by the consultancy company first and after that by the European Investment Bank (EIB) which finances the project. According to the Dutch NACO, there are reasons for asking for additional money, but no clause in the contract with the government allows such a demand. The contract says that the fluctuation in the prices of raw materials is taken on the constructor's account. At the end of August,a Bulgarian subcontractor under the project, Trace group, stopped works on the terminal motivating that there were certain discrepancies in the project which would make the construction slower and more expensive. The problem with Trace group has still not been solved. Morover, other subcontractors (balkanstroy and Monolit) followed its example and stopped works. after negotiations with the transport minister, however, they resumed their activities.
Source: Pari (20.09.2004)

Strabag International GmbH (Austria), hired to build a new passenger terminal at the Sofia International Airport, will present later in the week the expert findings from the inspection of the tarmac of the airport's taxiways, deputy transport minister Sofia Kasidova told Dnevnik. Following the completion of the Strabag inspection, Bulgarian experts will be hired to investigate the causes for the ruptures, cracks and depressions on the tarmac surface of the parking and tax-ways discovered in June, Kasidova said. The tests conducted by project engineer NACO revealed 30-40 per cent deviation from the tarmac specifications and laying techniques. Local contractor Trace Group, which laid the tarmac, said it followed rigidly the instruction of the engineer but noted that the polymerbitumen that was used remain flexible at high ambient temperatures. According to company experts, the deformed tarmac surface is only 1 per cent and does not represent a hazard for aviation traffic. After the causes for the tarmac deformations are determined, it will be estimated what layer of the tarmac will be replaced and who will pay for it, Kasidova said, adding that NACO has sent out a letter saying that the resurfacing costs will not be credited to the Bulgarian side. The EUR 110 mln passenger terminal should be operable by August 2005.
Source: Dnevnik (23.09.2004)

The responsibility for the defects in the asphalt pavement of the taxiways and the new passenger terminal of the Sofia airport lies with Austria's Strabag, the independent Dutch expert assessment shows. According to PARI daily's sources, the parallel Austrian examination is expected to put the blame on Dutch NACO, which is engineer, consultant and supervisor of the project. Strabag, however, has no interest in finding fault with NACO, because in both cases it will not receive additional financing for the construction works. Therefore the results of the second expert assessment are being delayed, insiders comment. The Austrian company requested an additional EUR 3 million citing higher prices of the construction materials. Vice premier and transport minister Nikolay Vassilev, however, said he would not negotiate with Strabag. The amount asked does not exceed the 10-percent increase in costs provided for in the contract but according to the agreement the contractor shall cover the possible rise in expenditures.
Source: Pari (27.09.2004)

State budget for 2005 will grant between BGN 10 million and BGN 12 million for construction works on the road to the Sofia airport, head of the parliamentary transport committee, Yordan Mirchev, told the PARI daily. The stretch will be 2-kilometre long and is scheduled for completion by August 31, 2005. Procedures for expropriation of land lots in the area have not yet been launched. Funds for the new passenger terminal at Sofia Airport that will remain unabsorbed by the end of 2004 will go for maintenance of the railway infrastructure in the country, according to a recent government's decision. The project for the new passenger terminal at the capital's airport costs EUR 110 million. In November 2003 Austrian contractor Strabag asked for additional funding of between EUR 11 million and 12 million. An agreement with the ministry of transport has been reached, under which additional EUR 4.8 million was to be extended. In September this year Strabag asked for another EUR 3.0 million motivating with the increasing prices of steel. Vice prime minister Niklay Vassilev denied to lead any talks with the company, because according to the contract signed with Strabag, the price fluctuations of the construction materials is to be taken on the account of the constructor.
Source: Pari (26.10.2004)

Austria's Strabag, which is building the new passenger terminal at Bulgaria's Sofia airport, has already started covering part of the building, the PARI daily established. Two months after Bulgarian holding Trace Group backed out of the project as subcontractor, another company took over the construction works: Strabag's subsidiary Inzhstroy. Experts comment that the acceleration of construction is probably due to pressure from non-government organisations - which suggested that the project be controlled directly by the prime minister - and the media, which gave publicity to the problem. According to specialists, if construction continues at the same rate, the terminal may be ready ahead of schedule in May 2005. Next year the government is expected to extend between BGN 10 and 12 million for the road to the new airport. The construction of the 2-kilometre stretch, however, hinges on the expropriation of land in the region, which will hardly be an easy procedure.
Source: Pari (01.11.2004)

Bulgaria will invest some EUR 1.5 billion in transport infrastructure over the next three years, vice premier and transport minister Mr. Nikolay Vassilev told the 6th Southeast Europe Economic Forum in Sofia. This makes up 2.5 per cent of GDP, he added. The amount will be used for large project: EUR 340 million for the Plovdiv - Svilengrad railway line, EUR 230 million for the Danube Bridge 2, EUR 200 million for the Sofia airport, EUR 130 million for the port of Bourgas, EUR 30 million for the port of Lom and EUR 25 million for the Rousse port. The airports in Varna and Bourgas will receive EUR 100 million each for infrastructure. Another EUR 18 million will be spent on border checkpoints and BGN 500 million, on road infrastructure. Minister Vassilev supports the idea that all Balkan countries should allocated 1.5-2% of GDP to transport infrastructure. This makes some BGN 600 to 800 million for Bulgaria a year, which is close to the amount Sofia budgets for the sector, he explained.
Source: Pari (04.11.2004)

The airports in Plovdiv and Gorna Oryahovitza will be given under concession, according to a project stipulated in the Civil Aviation Development Strategy until 2015, elaborated by Bulgaria’s Ministry of Transport, The traffic of the so-called low-cost air companies will be directed to them. The airport in Targovishte will be privatized, while those in Rousse and Stara Zagora will continue operating and will service light and sports flights. According to the strategy, Bulgaria Air will be privatized, the airports in Varna and Bourgas will be given under concession, and the new passenger terminal and track at Sofia airport will be completed.
Source: Sega (08.11.2004)

The National Social Security Institute (NOI) published a list of Bulgaria's 50 "most correct employers with a staff of over 250 people for the first nine months of 2004, providing work for a total of 98 555 people with an average social security income of BGN 514: 1. Nuclear Power Plant Kozloduy SPJSC - Kozloduy 2. Lukoil-Neftochim JSC - Bourgas 3. Mines Maritsa-Iztok SPJSC - Branch Troyanovo-North Pit, village of Kovachevo 9. Elatsite-Med JSC - village of Mirkovo 14. Thermo-electric power station Maritsa-iztok-2 SPJSC - village of Kovachevo 18. Port Varna 22. Pirintex Production - Gotze Delchev 24.SKGT Electrotransport, Sofia 25. Solvay Sodi - Devnya 36. Water Supply and Sewerage, Varna 39. Remotex SPJSC - Radnevo 44. Arkus - Lyaskovetz
Source: Capital market (08.11.2004)

The Dutch company NACO, a designer, advisor and supervisor of the project for Sofia Airport's new passenger terminal, will not accept the request for additional funds submitted by Austrian constructor Strabag. In 2003, Strabag asked for additional EUR 12 million but received only EUR 4.7 million. This year the Austrian contractor offered a new appreciation of the project's cost due to the rising prices of some construction materials. The terminal will be completed by the end of August 31, 2005, while the new landing strip is to be ready by October next year. Sofia Airport is expected to handle then 2.6 million passengers a year and 26,000 tonnes of cargo. In 2005, the project will receive BGN 16.5 million from the state budget, another BGN 57.3 million as a donation under European programmes and national co-financing, plus BGN 82.7 million from state investment loans. Next year the government is expected to extend BGN 12 million for the road to the new airport. The road will, however, take BGN 20 million according to the calculations of Sofia municipality. The construction of the 2-kilometre stretch also hinges on the expropriation of land in the region, which will hardly be an easy procedure.
Source: Pari (22.11.2004)

Bulgaria's 28 state-owned transport companies posted combined profits of BGN 228.4 mln in January-September, a fourfold increase year-on-year, transport minister Nikolai Vasilev said late last week, crediting the upswing to the success of ongoing structural reforms. The transport companies' earnings rose 128 to BGN 1.5 bln. shows transport ministry data. The Air Traffic Control Authority, the Gorna Oryahovitsa airport and the ports of Vidin and Bourgas led the January-September profit upside. The airports in Sofia, Varna and Bourgas also reported year-on-year profits gains in excess of 1 mln levs. National flag-carrier Air Bulgaria boosted net profit with BGN 3.4 mln to BGN 5.5 mln over the reviewed period while net earnings are up by BGN 56 mln. The Varna sea port, the Plovdiv airport and national maritime fleet NMB rebounded into positive territory after year-ago losses. NMB posted a net profit of BGN 39 mlnwhile the Bulgarian River Shipping Corporation recorded a profit of BGN 220,000 in the first nine months of 2004.
Source: Dnevnik (22.11.2004)

Bourgas Airport was given the big award for Airport of the Year. The diploma and the statuette were granted to the winner by the deputy PM and Minister of Transport and Communications Nikolay Vasilev. The nominees were a part of the celebrations of the 60 years since signing the Convention on International Civil Aviation and the establishment of the International Civil Aviation Organization. The national carrier Bulgaria Air took the Aviation Company of the Year prize. Another 24 aviation companies were awarded. The manager of Airport Sofia Mr. Stoil Pashkunov was one of the awarded with Silver Bird medals.
Source: Standart (02.12.2004)

Zhivka Sotirova, who happened to be the 1,500,000th passenger at Sofia airport was presented by Deputy PM Nikolay Vassilev himself with a bouquet of flowers and a business bag with the logo of the Airport stamped on it. CEO of the Airport Stoil Pashkunov presented her with a special pass for the business lounge. The lucky lady left for Frankfurt by a Lufthansa flight at 2:00 p.m. sharp. The number of passengers processed at the airport went up from 1.2 million in 2003 to 1.5 million in 2004. The Airport reports revenues of BGN 61,237 million, which is a growth by 14.6 percent year-on-year.
Source: Standart (10.12.2004)

Capital expenditure, envisaged by 2005 budget, came to BGN 1.598 billion, up by 20% compared to 2004. They represent 3.9% of the country's GDP, which has been the highest figure since 1996, finance minister Milen Velchev said. Bulgaria allocated BGN 12.6 million to capital expenditure in 1996 which then represented 0.7% of the country's GDP. The main projects to be financed by the budget next year are the second bridge over the Danube river, the Plovdiv-Svilengrad railway and the Sofia airport. The Lyulin highway is also on the agenda if no additional obstacles appear. The project has been greenlighted by Brussels already. In terms of public expenditures, for the first time education will be third next year with 11% of the consolidated spending programme. It is preceded by social security (34.2%) and defence and security (12.7%). As a whole, public expenditures will increase by BGN 200 million. Revenue is projected to rise 13% to BGN 16.173 billion.
Source: Pari (23.12.2004)

The Greek company Tehilius Domi will execute the project for the building of a waste water purifying station in Blagoevgrad. The project is under EU’s ISPA programme. Some EUR 7 mln will be invested in the facility.
Source: Pari (23.12.2004)

After the completion of the new runway, Bulgaria's Sofia Airport will start working non-stop, airport's chief executive officer, Stoil Pashkunov, said. This year the airport will service regular flights on January 1, 2005. Up to now, the facility has been opened for charter flights only on this date. Sofia airport will stay closed from 8 p.m. local time on December 31, 2004 until 3 a.m. on January 1, 2005, which is an international aviation requirement. After the runway is ready (most probably in October 2005), it will allow for Sofia Airport to work 24 hours a day even on New Year's Day. The project for construction of a new runway at Sofia Airport will be completed on time, transport ministry representatives said. The new passenger terminal project for Sofia Airport is also being sped up, transport ministry said.
Source: Pari (29.12.2004)

Bulgaria Air, Hemus Air or another local aviation company will have the opportunity to restore the direct flights from Sofia to New York in 2005, the Ministry of transport’s report writes. Currently these flights are forbidden as the Sofia airport does not meet the US security requirements. It is expected that Airport Sofia will cover the standards when the Bulgarian airports’ safety plan is implemented.
Source: Novinar (03.01.2005)

The new Sofia airport will be ready by Christmas or at the latest in January 2006, the mayor Mr. Stefan Sofiianski announced on the 4th conference Bulgaria – a land of dreams. The municipality will help the construction of the adjacent infrastructure, the mayor added. The construction of a new highway connecting the airport with the Brussels Blvd. will start in this year. The Sofia circular will be ready till 2010.
Source: Standart (07.01.2005)

The term for the construction of new Sofia airport track has been prolonged with 6 months. The managing committee for the project Reconstruction, development and expansion of Sofia airport has made the decision. The previous deadline for track’s building was April 2 2005. The term was prolonged with 211 days that means that the facility would be ready not earlier than November 2005.
Source: Pari (10.01.2005)

Sofia Airport's 2004 pre-tax profit reached BGN 15 mln., including spendings made for the new passenger terminal construction and the new landing strip, the airport’s CEO Mr. Stoil Pashkunov announced. The airport has served 28 700 planes and 1.615 mln passengers in 2004, versus 25 500 planes and 1.3 mln passengers in 2003.
Source: Monitor (13.01.2005)

Frauds have stung the state treasury with millions of euros importing minced meat instead of tender and expensive calf shoulder meat. Anti-mafia officers busted a contraband of 15,000 tons of such meat. The criminal group consisted of three men and one woman. They had been in this business for years, IM Chief Secretary Gen. Boiko Borissov informed yesterday. The traffickers imported meat from Denmark, Belgium, France and the Netherlands. The meat was most frequently brought to Bulgaria through the Central Customs Office and Sofia Airport. So far the police has checked out 35 cases, nearly the same number of investigations are pending. The same criminal group was implicated in a fraud with import of Turkish, Dubaian and Chinese cargoes.
Source: Standart (18.01.2005)

Air Traffic Control is developing a variant to dismantle the so-called blind landing systems of all of the local airports. The system at the Airport-Gorna Oryahovitza was the first dismantled a few months ago. According to some sources this will happen in the Airport Varna as well. The idea was to make the Sofia Airport the only one having such a system. Air Traffic Control explained that there is no such a version developed and each re-equipment is made with the agreement of the Eurocontrol. It is not stipulated to dismantle the system at the Varna Airport, as it was manufactured by Tales in 1999. Currently the planes land in Bucharest in case that the Sofia airport is not able to accept them.
Source: Pari (25.01.2005)

NSSI announced the top 20 most loyal employers with a personnel of over 1000 people for 2004, insuring a total of 104 959 men with an average insuring income of BGN 545: The company is included in the list.
Source: Other (08.02.2005)

Airplane pilots will be more secure and safer from now on. The system will warn the pilots if their airplanes fly at a dangerous distance from each other. And this will happen not less than 30 minutes before they get dangerously close. All this has become possible thanks to the new automatic system air traffic control. It was presented yesterday by Vice-Premier Nikolay Vassilev. SATCAS, installed at Sofia Airport allows monitoring of 1,800 airplanes, and up to 500 planes under active control, to check whether any risk for flying at a dangerous distance exists. The whole Bulgarian air space will be controlled from Sofia. 85% of the functions of the new system, which are over 7,000, have already started operating. The system will be finally put into operation in October.
Source: Standart (23.02.2005)

Kuwaiti-Arab consortium Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi and Sons has received a clear signal that it was not the government's favourite for the concession of Varna and Bourgas airports, the PARI daily found out. Independent sources commented that the Kuwaiti company is hardly likely to win the competition for Bulgaria Air, too. According to insiders Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi and Sons, which constructs the new runway at Sofia Airport, may thus decide to claim indemnities of up to one fourth of the contracted amount that is USD 10 million due to a delay from the Bulgarian part. Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi and Sons did not submit a final bid for the concession of the two seaside airports because of the clear signal it could not win.
Source: Pari (21.03.2005)

The official launching of the new passenger terminal at Sofia Airport will most probably be delayed until the spring of 2006, Ms. Dobrinka Krasteva, head of one of the departments in Bulgaria’s finance ministry said. The current deadline, which has not been changed officially, is August 2005. The deliveries of some equipment are falling behind of schedule, experts from the ministry commented. On the other hand, Ms. Sofia Kasidova, deputy minister of transport and communications, said the building works at the site were going normally under the contract with the chief executor Strabag. She was firm the terminal would be completed by August 31.
Source: Standart (27.04.2005)

Bulgaria's state-owned transport companies posted a BGN 5.6 million net profit for the first quarter of 2005, vice premier and transport minister Nikolay Vassilev said. The profit of Navigation Maritime Bulgare jumped by 46%, year on year. Bulgarian Posts also registered a rise in income by more than 150%. Lesport of Rousse increased its profit by 113%. The airports in Sofia and Bourgas and the ports of Rousse and Varna also posted higher profits for the period.
Source: Pari (09.05.2005)

The National Social Security Institute announced the 50 most loyal employers for the first quarter of 2005 with personnel of over 1000 people, insuring totally 106 811 people with an average insurance income of BGN 561. The company is included in the list.
Source: Other (09.05.2005)

There is still no agreement between Sofia Airport and Air Traffic Service Authority (ATSA), which secures part of the funds, on the completion date of the new passenger terminal at the airport, the PARI daily found out. According to paper's sources, the money to be allocated on air navigation, and other activities connected with it, should be transferred through the supervising body. However, there is no aproved way on how the later could happen. Austrian company Strabag, which constructs the terminal has already filed a petition to the European Commission for additional EUR 6.0 million for finalisation of the project. Kuwaiti-Arab consortium Iihammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi&Sons is ready to ask for additional USD 12 million for the new runway, that is being constructed parallel to the old one. Bulgarian part has delayed the appropriation of the needed land lots by a year and a half, which means that the deadline for the construction of the runway, that has been set to end-2005, is harly likely to be met.
Source: Pari (02.06.2005)

Hungary’s private Wizz Air is the first lowcost airline, which was officially allowed to operate on the Bulgarian market, the director of the Civil Aeronautical Administration (CAA) Mr. Georgi Stoyanov announced. The company will be presented today. Wizz Air will have 3 flights a week between Sofia and Budapest, and will operate independently of Hungary’s national air carrier Malev, which flies between the two capitals two times a day. The price of the tickets have not been specified as yet.
Source: Sega (16.06.2005)

The new passenger terminal of Sofia Airport will be launched shortly before the end of the year, the director of the airport Mr. Kalin Barzov said during an inspection of the terminal made by Bulgaria’s prime minister Simeon Sax Cobourg-gotha, his deputy Mr. Nikolai Vasilev and the head of the delegation of the European Commission to Bulgaria Mr. Dimitris Kourkoulas. The terminal is being built by Austria’s Strabag which is supposed to complete it by 31 August 2005 under its contract obligations. Mr. Barzov explained the launching of the terminal would be delayed due to the finishing of the security systems, luggage systems and management software.
Source: Sega (16.06.2005)

Air plane tickets for EUR 1, will be available to book on the website of Wizz Air or through phone at : 02/ 96 03 888. Tickets are still available for flights starting form the 18 of September. “Due to great demand, we had to increase our capacity with 33 per cent, only a week after promotional tickets were released” said Josef Varadi CEO of Wizz Air.
Source: Monitor (12.07.2005)

The European Union (EU) is going to stop the implementation of international tenders by Bulgaria's state authorities and start distributing funds for big projects, the PARI daily learned. According to sources, most of the funds extended by the EU for various projects would not pass through ministries, but will come directly from an EU authority. This institution would not only allocate funds for concrete projects, but will also appoint the companies to implement them. Thus Europe will have the opportunity to control the meeting of project deadlines, the construction quality and the fund utilisation at one and the same time, the sources added. The EU will watch very closely Bulgaria's performance, due to the many cases of delay, problems with contractors, claims of increased project value and, in the long run, non-utilisation of EU money. This is valid mainly for some transport infrastructure projects, such as the Sofia airport and the Danube Bridge 2. Recently Bulgarian experts have also launched the idea that a single non-governmental authority should take over the responsibility for attraction and utilisation of European funds. According to specialists private public partnership would be especially successful in the implementation of big infrastructure projects.
Source: Pari (21.07.2005)

The Financial Supervision Commission (FSC) banned the board of directors of Promota-Bulgaria from disposing of any material assets and to contract new loans until the postponed regular general meeting of the shareholders of the company for 2004. Promota-Bulgaria is a daughter company of Greece's Promota-Helas. Its initial capital, set at BGN 50,000, was raised to BGN 2.85 million by issuing 2,800 shares of BGN 1000 of par value each. Promota-Helas is engaged in the production of promotional souvenirs and is among the leaders in its sphere in Greece. Promota Bulgaria has purchased a 16 ha land lot close to the Sofia Airport and ammounced its intentions to build an international logistics centre for EUR 10 million.
Source: Pari (28.07.2005)

The 2005’s first half top 50 most law-abiding employers with a personnel of over 1000 people, insuring a total of 106,852 employees with an average insurance income of BGN 592. The company is included in the list. 1. Nuclear Power Plant Kozloduy SPJSC - Kozloduy 9 Ideal Standard Bulgaria JSC - Sevlievo 13 Bulgarian Telecommunication Company JSC - Sofia 26 Asarel Medet JSC - Panagyurishte
Source: Other (08.08.2005)

The air carriers in Bulgaria will not set a higher fuel tax, despite the fact that the price of kerosene went up by US $50 yesterday. The price of kerosene at the Sofia Airport reached US $700/ton and at the airports at the coastal cities of Varna and Burgas - $675 and $680 per ton. This is by $250 more than the airplane fuel cost a year ago. Experts say that the price of kerosene will go further up by US $20 per ton in September. "The new price hike of the airplane fuel will push the Bulgarian air carriers out of business," Hemus Air Director Dimitar Pavlov said. "Our fuel expenses are expected to be by US $5 million bigger this year," he explained. "We shall increase the fare only after the other air carriers do it," Director of the national flag carrier Bulgaria Air Konstantin Taskov said.
Source: Standart (17.08.2005)

Failure in the computer system blocked Sofia airport for a couple of hours in yesterday’s afternoon. Passengers’ documents had to be processed manually as a computer problem occurred at the terminal, the Border Police explained later. They assured that no one had missed his flight because of the accident. The information was confirmed by the port’s head Mr. Kalin Barov.
Source: Monitor (19.08.2005)

Three low-cost airlines will launch flights to Sofia this autumn. These are Wizz Air, SkyEurope and May Air. The first company who officially demonstrated its interest in flying to Bulgaria was Hungary’s Wizz Air. Slovak-English Sky Europe will fly down the destination Bratislava-Sofia starting November 1. Italy’s May Air, which is based in Bologna is expected to enter the local air services market in the end of September.
Source: Standart (25.08.2005)

Sofia Airport posted a BGN 9 767 mln profit for the first seven months of the year, the airport's CEO Mr. Kalin Barzov announced.This represents a year-on-year increase of BGN 2 658 mln. The number of passengers served over the period reached 1 069 977, or 162 566 more than in the period January-July 2004. The deadline for the completion of the new passenger terminal and the new runway will become clear in a couple of days. They will be officially announced by minister of transport Mr. Peter Mutafchiev.
Source: Standart (25.08.2005)

Sofia will have a new airport in two months at the earliest. The target date for the new passenger's terminal expires on August, 31, but it will not be kept. This is what representatives of the Austrian company Strabag, which is the main executor of the project stated at their meeting with Bulgaria's Minister of Transport, Peter Mutafchiev. The representatives assured Minister Mutafchiev that the terminal would be ready in two months. "If there will be an official inauguration it will be for 1 working terminal only," Minister Mutafchiev was explicit. Minister Mutafchiev will visit the site within the next few days to get acquainted with the finishing works. The project is financed with EUR 50 million non-recourse aid on the ISPA program of the EU, with a EUR 60 million credit from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and with some EUR 20 million own funds of Sofia Airport.
Source: Standart (31.08.2005)

The Sofia International Airport has invited sealed bid tenders for the lease of 3 bank and one insurance offices in the new passenger terminal building. The tender papers can be purchased until September 2. The tenders will be held on September 29 with the bids due on the same day 15 min before the 10 am start of the procedure. The tenant contracts will have a 5-year term of validity. The bidding for the 4.5 sq m insurance office will start at 450 euro ex-VAT. The starting price for the bank offices - with area of 33.51, 45.38 and 36.75 sq m each, is 4,000, 5,400 and 4,400 euro respectively. VAT charges and utility costs will bring the monthly rents to 4,982.4, 6,728.4 and 5,479.2 euro, respectively. The tenants are required to have a banking licence. The airport has received 3 offers for as many for-rent travel agent offices in the new terminal. Nine prospective tenants are bidding for the 4 coffee bars. Five offers have been filed for the 2 fast food areas which will go to a single tenant. A tender for a restaurant facility is scheduled for September 21. More tenders for the lease of outlets in the new terminal are forthcoming, said the airport management.
Source: Dnevnik (31.08.2005)

Austrian company Strabag, hired to build a new passenger terminal at the Sofia International Airport, will hand over the facility 2 months after the original launch target of August 31, it was announced after Tuesday's meeting between transport minister Petar Mutafchiev and company executives. Strabag is facing penalty charges of 150,000 euro for each it is in default of the hand-over schedule. An additional complication to the passenger terminal project is the legal dispute with owners of the land plots necessary to be taken for the construction of the road infrastructure to the new facility. The land owners are unhappy with the compensation they were offered and if the court rules in their favour, the construction of the 1.5 km road will taken another year. The airport's new runway is due for delivery in October 2005. The expansion of the single-terminal airport will increase annual passenger traffic to 2.6 mln. The 110 mln euro project is co-financed with 60 mln euro from EIB, 38.1 mln euro from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and 50 mln euro from EU's ISPA program.
Source: Dnevnik (31.08.2005)

The Kuwaiti consortium in charge of building the new runway of the Sofia International Airport will miss the November deadline for the hand-over of the new facility and will target a launch in September 2006, said Bulgarian transport minister Petar Mutafchiev. The construction of the runway was slowed down after the dig revealed an uncharted waste dump that had to be excavated and refilled with soil. The new passenger terminal of the airport missed its August 31 launch target and the contractor, Austria's Strabag, was granted a 2-month extension to the hand-over deadline.
Source: Dnevnik (07.09.2005)

Four companies have filed offers for delivery of a new X-ray apparatus for control of the registered overload at the Sofia Airport. These are the companies Smiths and Hayman, Rapiskan, Jilardoni, and L3 Communication. The deadline for offers’ submission expired on September 1 and they were opened two days later in the presence of the participants. The winner will be known until October 2.
Source: Sega (12.09.2005)

The low-cost aviation company SkyEurope was given the right to offer its service in Bucharest and Sofia, the carrier announced. This is the second low cost company after Wizz Air that enters the local market. SkyEurope Airlines, the Central Europe’s biggest low cost company, said it was going to enter the market in Bulgaria and Romania, after both countries gave it permissions, company’s announcement says. The company was settled out 4 years ago and is the leader of low cost flights in Central Europe.
Source: Monitor (16.09.2005)

Transport Ministry started calculating indemnities to be paid by the Austria's Strabag, which is building the new passenger terminal of Sofia Airport for every day of its delay, minister Petar Mutafchiev said. According to his deputy, Vesela Gospodinova, the terminal had to be ready on August 31 this year. Strabag last promised not to keep the delay in an eight weeks' period. Strabag asked for a second meeting with Mutafchiev, who still insists that no further compromises with the contractor should be made.
Source: Pari (19.09.2005)

U.S. real estate company Tishman International announced it will invest 65 mln euro in a new business center near the Sofia International Airport. The construction of Sofia Airport Center will begin in early 2006 with delivery seen within three years. Between 10 and 20 multifunctional buildings, each with a built-up area of 1,000 to 3,000 sq m, will be constructed on a 13 ha site in immediate proximity to the new passenger terminal of the airport. One or two of the buildings will be sold and the rest of the premises will be rented out. The project is implemented by Tishman Lindner Bulgaria Real Estate, a joint venture with Germany construction company Lindner. The fund was registered earlier this year with a capital of 50 mln euro. All properties targeted by the fund are located in Sofia. The Bulgarian branch of Greece's Emporiki Bank loan-financed the 9.5 mln euro transaction for the purchase of the Sofia Airport Center land plot. Tishman Lindner's investment pipeline includes another corporate building in the vicinity of the Sofia airport as well as a component of the residential complex under construction near Business Park Sofia. The fund is also in talks with major retailers for the construction of several stores in Sofia.
Source: Dnevnik (05.10.2005)

Austria’s Strabag, which is building the new passenger terminal of Sofia Airport, will pay for the building of a temporary road leading to the new building, Sofia Airport’s CEO Mr. Kalin Barzov announced. The money will be included in a joint project, because the task of the company is to also construct the passes to the airport. We were planning to build a new road leading to Sofia Airport, but three of the owners of the property, where the road was supposed to pass, appealed the amount of the indemnity and all activities have been blocked, the company said.
Source: Sega (11.10.2005)

The German air carrier Lufhansa is launching a new Sofia - Duesseldorf line starting November this year, the manager of the Bulgarian branch of the company, Mr. Dieter Grosse, announced on Tuesday. The new destination will perform flights every day, except Saturday. Lufhansa will serve three flights a day down the Sofia - Munich line. The German carrier remains the leader among airways companies on the Bulgarian aviation market with its 15 per cent stake.
Source: Dnevnik (12.10.2005)

The project for reconstruction and expansion of Bulgaria's Sofia airport may be referred to the arbitration court in Paris, the PARI daily learned. Insiders say that Austria's Strabag, which is building the new passenger terminal, has substantial claims to project engineer NACO. The Dutch company is designer, consultant and supervisor of the terminal all in one, which experts call conflict of interests. The 'time bomb' was planted as far back as at the time Wilhelm Kraus was transport minister, when NACO developed the master plan and was admitted to the tender for designer of the new airport. The conflict was almost solved by ex transport minister Plamen Petrov - who was going to terminate the contract with Strabag - before he was replaced by Nikolay Vassilev in the previous cabinet. Experts insisted that NACO should not control the whole project but despite promises, that failed to happen. Instead, Strabag stated it would file a case to the Paris arbitration court, claiming EUR 6 million forfeits. Representatives of the Austrian company are arriving to Bulgaria Tuesday, October 18, for a meeting with transport minister Petar Mutafchiev. Meanwhile the PARI daily learned that Svetoslav Stanulov, who heads the Air Transport Institute and the Association of Bulgarian Airlines, will join the new board of the Air Traffic Service Authority. The other new members of the board are all the deputy ministers of transport. The current general director of the state-owned company, Tsvetan Dilov, will remain on the board.
Source: Pari (18.10.2005)

Changes in the boards of directors of almost all transportation companies have already been decided, the PARI daily found out. Insiders informed that the deputy transport minister Yudjen Atilla will become a member of the directors' board of Sofia Airport. The present director, Kalin Barzov, will remain a member of the airport's board of directors. Kalin Barzov ha allegedly received support from the ex-transport minister, Nikolay Vassilev. Plamen Stanchev is expected to replace Barzov in the future. The representative of the Sofia municipality in the board of directors, Dilyana Sechanska, will also keep her position. The management of Air Traffic Service Authority has also been changed, although its director, Tsvetan Dilov keep his position. Up to now, no changes have been made in the management of Bulgaria Air. Experts predict no major transformations there.
Source: Pari (20.10.2005)

Bulgaria’s deputy minister of transport, Mr. Iudjel Atilla, is the new chairman of the Board of Directors of Sofia airport. He is going to replace the ex-deputy minister of transport, Mrs. Sofia Kasidova. The decision for the replacement was taken by the management of the airport on a session of the Board of Directors on Tuesday. Mr. Plamen Stanchev and Mr. Nikola Kavardjikliev are the other new members of the Board. They were appointed in the positions of Mrs. Maria Divizieva and Mr. Lachezar Stoianov. Only the CEO of the airport’s Board of Directors, Mr. Kalin Barzov, will retain his position.
Source: Monitor (21.10.2005)

Bulgaria Air will have additional landing area at Frankfurt Airport and the company will increase the number of its weekly flights to Germany. Lufthansa will open a new line from Dusseldorf to Sofia. This has been negotiated at the coordination of the slots and the schedules of the foreign and the Bulgarian airlines for season (Winter 2005-2006) in the Central Directorate of Civil Aviation administration'. Bulgaria Air and AlItalia have come to terms on good prices and more flights on the destinations Sofia-Milano and Sofia-Rome. The number of flights between Bulgaria and Greece will also be increased.
Source: Standart (31.10.2005)

The new Sofia Airport will be ready for operation as late as September 2006, the transport minister, Mr. Petar Mutafchiev announced. Our expectations for launching the new airport terminal and the new landing-strip are for July and September respectively. Up to now, the official commitment of the Austrian contractor Shtrabag, is still for August 31, 2005. The unofficial information says that till the end of the year the terminal will be ready for operation, but without the low-rise construction around.
Source: Sega (02.11.2005)

The Bulgarian transport ministry will try to find a temporary solution to the much-needed renovation of the coastal airports in Varna and Bourgas, until the concession dispute is settled, minister Petar Mutafchiev told the Southeast Europe Economic Forum in Sofia. The state has already appealed the decision of the three-member panel of the Supreme Administrative Court, rejecting Denmark's Copenhagen Airport as concessionaire. All the three candidates for the airports are serious investors and we can work with any of them, Mutafchiev added. Bulgaria will fulfil the European requirements and if traffic at any of the airports exceeds 2 million passengers the state will look for a second ground service operator.
Source: Pari (02.11.2005)

The Bulgarian transport ministry will receive BGN 79.921 million from the 2006 budget, nearly twice the amount allocated in 2005, it emerged after the parliamentary transport committee approved the budget. About a week ago minister Petar Mutafchiev said that much more financing would be needed for infrastructure in 2006. Unlike previous governments, the current cabinet obviously considers the development of transport a priority, experts say. The revenue for the sector in 2005 was planned at BGN 45.855 million, as much as BGN 9.844 million was allocated as capital transfers for large infrastructure projects. In 2006 the financing for infrastructure is set at BGN 94.175 million. The bulk of it is envisaged for the Sofia airport, the Danube Bridge 2, the port of Bourgas and the Plovdiv-Svilengrad railway line. Minister Mutafchiev recently voiced concerns that the construction of some big infrastructure projects could be delayed if Bulgaria failed to budget the necessary funds. He suggested that contractors should guarantee the implementation of the projects.
Source: Pari (10.11.2005)

Germany’s air carrier Lufthansa is currently in talks with the local private airline Hemus Air for jointly exploitation of the aero-technical equipment of Sofia Airport. The information was confirmed by the Hemus Air’s CEO, Mr. Dimitar Pavlov. Other companies are also interested in this matter, as well as in acquiring of the private airline, but the management of Hemus Air decided not to sell, Mr. Pavlov added. According to the CEO, the company is trying to become a public one, but most probably that will wait till the privatization conditions of Bulgaria Air become clear, to which the private airline shows interest.
Source: Pari (15.11.2005)

The National Social Security Institute's Top 50 of the most law-abiding employers with personnel of over 1000 employees, insuring a total of 112 403 people with average insurance income of BGN 599 during January-September 2005. The company is included in the list: 1. Nuclear Power Plant Kozloduy SPJSC - Kozloduy 13 Bulgarian Telecommunication Company JSC - Sofia 29 Asarel Medet JSC - Panagyurishte 35. Ideal Standard Bulgaria JSC - Sevlievo
Source: Other (24.11.2005)

Sofia will have a new airport not earlier than the summer of 2006, Kalin Barzov, the airport CEO told Minister of Transport Petar Mutafchiev. The contract envisaged that the airport should have been ready by December 5, 2004. The deadline, though, have been prolonged a couple of times - to August 31, 2005 and February 2006. The Ministry of Transport has already approached a consulting agency on the sum of the possible forfeit. "What a matter for society is that we have a completed new airport and not that we summon arbitration to calculate forfeit," Mutafchiev said. After this inspection I am optimistic that the terminal will be ready soon, he further added. The new airport will serve 2.6 million passengers a year and over 2000 people an hour in the rush hours. Heavy aircraft like Boeing 747 and A-380.
Source: Standart (24.11.2005)

Charter traffic at Bulgaria's Sofia International Airport will jump by 40% during the upcoming winter season as Belgian, British, Russian, German and Dutch head for local ski resorts Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo, said the airport's executive director Kalin Barzov. The ongoing construction of a new runway shuts down the airport everyday between 11 pm and 2 am. The new passenger terminal of the airport is expected to go into operation by the summer of next year and will handle all international flights. The old terminal will be designated for low-cost carriers and domestic flights. Austrian contract Strabag was due to hand over the terminal building by the end of August but then requested an 8-month deadline extension. The Bulgarian government will likely press for damages. The EIB has loaned 60 mln euro for the terminal which will cost 111 mln euro. The Kuwaiti-Arabian tie-in Ìîhammed Abdulmohsim Al-Kharafi and Sons should complete the construction of the new 3.6 km runway by February 2006 but will probably miss that deadline. The contract is yet to request an extension to the handover deadline.
Source: Dnevnik (24.11.2005)

M&M Air Cargo Service, an affiliate of Swiss transport and forwarding holding M&M, is ready to take over ground handling at Bulgaria's Sofia airport as a second operator if the competent institutions observe the European directives and liberalise the market, Mihail Danchev, who is in charge of the holding's aviation services in Bulgaria and Eastern Europe, said. According to Danchev, who is member of IATA's ground handling council, airports in Bulgaria are currently monopolists in the sector, which violates directive 96/67 of 1996. The regulation was adopted at the insistence of European airlines, which complained of the high service prices at airports. The document gives free access to ground handling, enhances service quality and reduces companies' costs. Even the smaller airports in Europe are required to have at least two operators and the directive has been already applied by the new EU members and Romania. M&M Air Cargo Service is licensed by the Bulgarian aviation authorities and has potential to compete with the state airport in ground handling services. The group has a 125-year history and offices in more than 30 countries worldwide. M&M has invested more than BGN 40 million in Bulgaria, some BGN 2 million has been injected by its affiliate in the cargo terminal at the Sofia airport. Transport minister Petar Mutafchiev said Bulgaria would observe the European regulations, but they require a second operator only if passenger traffic exceeds 2 million. According to him, this threshold is more likely to be met by the airport in Bourgas, rather than by the Sofia airport.
Source: Pari (29.11.2005)

The lawsuit for Varna and Bourgas airports is given a go. The five-member panel of the Supreme Administrative Court will hold its session today. Bulgaria’s minister of transport, Mr. Petar Mutafchiev said a favorable for the government outcome he expected. Regarding the financing of Sofia airport’s debt, up to now this matter was not discussed, yet, Mr. Mutafchiev pointed out.
Source: Standart (01.12.2005)

The Slovak cheap air carrier SkyEurope is launching flights to Sofia, starting December 9, the company’s representative for Bulgaria, Mr. Krassimir Tanev announced. SkyEurope will fly from Bratislava to the capital of Bulgaria on Tuesday and Thursday, arriving at 12.20 pm and departing half an hour later. On Monday and Sunday the Slovak air carrier will arrive in Sofia at 5 pm and will departure to the Slovak capital at 5.30 pm. Our main target group are business clients and we considered this in the flight schedule set up.
Source: Dnevnik (05.12.2005)

Plovdiv-Munich destination plane ticket at a price of EUR 44 offers the tour operator EasyFly, owned by the Bulgarian composer Boyan Ikonomov’s grandson Matias Poranske. The flights start on January 27 every Friday on Hemus Air’s plane – Boeing 737 and B Ae-146-300 Jumbolino. The leasing contract for the planes was signed with the company yesterday afternoon. The price includes a ticket for EUR 29 plus fees for EUR 15. The offer is valid up to first 20 months for each flight.
Source: Standart (07.12.2005)

German airline company Lufthansa is in talks with Bulgarian peer Hemus Air for the construction of an avionics repair center on the site of the Sofia International Airport, said Dimitar Pavlov, the Hemus Air executive director. Lufthansa intends to build 2 hangars for the repair of Airbus 320, Airbus 321, Boeing 737 and Boeing 767. The comprehensive inspection and repairs that these types of aircraft undergo each 8 years could be conducted at the Bulgarian center. Hemus Air owns the avionics repair base that services all domestic air carriers. Hemus Hold, the majority owner of the airlines, acquired the facility for BGN6 mln in February 2004. The facility envisaged by Lufthansa will require a 2.5 ha footprint between the current repair center and the new passenger terminal that is under construction. Some of the land is owned by Hemus Air while the rest is government property. Lufthansa is ready to bankroll the project and has submitted a letter of intent to the transport ministry. The German company is expected to spend over 70 mln euro on the facility, qualifying for certification as First Class investor. The Bulgarian office of the German air carrier said the company would release a statement regarding the project at a later stage. U.S. plane maker Boeing is also interested in building a repair center in Bulgaria. According to Hemus Air, cooperation with Boeing could expand with the opening here of a training and logistics center.
Source: Dnevnik (19.12.2005)

The head of flight attendants at Bulgaria Air, Plamen Stanchev, has been appointed executive director of the Sofia airport. Stanchev succeeds Karlin Barzov, who will head the Bourgas airport again. Barzov's career started from Bourgas, then he was appointed head of the Chief Aviation Administration and then CEO of Sofia airport. According to knowledgeable sources, Plamen Stanchev will work well with the current team of the Sofia airport and the whole aviation industry. Bulgaria Air's new executive director, Zlatin Sarastov, has restored to office most of the directors dismissed by him last week, as well as those who resigned voluntarily. This is good for the company ahead of its privatisation, experts commented.
Source: Pari (20.12.2005)

Bulgarian airline companies have increased their share of the regular flights market from 30 to 35% in January-October as compared to the like period a year ago, a survey of the Bulgarian Airlines Association (ABA) shows. Overall passenger traffic increased from 1.45 mln to 1.49 mln. In the first ten months of 2005 the local carriers transported 520,000 passengers to the Sofia Airport versus 970,000 jetted in and out by foreign airlines. In the review period, charter flight arrivals in this country stood at 3.6 mln, up by 12.5% year-on-year. The survey shows that the local carriers' share of the charter flight market shrank from 46% to 43.7%, feeling the squeeze from foreign companies which transported 17% more passengers than in January-October 2004. ABA chairman Svetoslav Stanulov attributed the decline to underinvestment in new fleets on the part of the Bulgarian companies. In his words, the charter fleets of local companies include more than 20 planes made by Western manufacturers and 8 Òu-154s. Private air carrier Hemus Air grounded its Yak-40 plane a week ago. Bulgaria Air, the successor to bankrupt flag-carrier Balkan Airlines, plans to use 12 Boeing planes next year, the company's executive director Zlatin Surustov said. ABA has proposed to the transport and finance ministry that the Varna and Bourgas airports invest the proceeds from airport charges in their infrastructure rather than remit them to the budget. According to the association, a failure to concession off the two airports and make large-scale investments in their infrastructure before the start of the next tourist season would seriously impede the development of domestic aviation and tourism. The legal dispute over the choice of Copenhagen Airports as concessionaire of the Bulgarian airports in Varna and Bourgas is expected to be settled conclusively in January
Source: Dnevnik (30.12.2005)

The dispute with the building contractors for Bulgaria's new airport in Sofia, Austria's Strabag and the Kuwaiti-Arabian consortium of Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi and Sons, is entering its crucial phase. The transport ministry believes that the finalisation of the terminal cannot be put off any longer, the more so that the project is 95% ready. According to insiders by the end of January the ministry will initiate a meeting with representatives of Austria's Strabag, which is building the terminal, to seek clarification of the two parties' terms. Otherwise Strabag may claim huge forfeits from Sofia and the case may be referred to arbitration with unclear outcome. No payments have been made to Strabag since August 31, when the terminal had to be completed. The term for finalisation of the new runway is not clear either. Transport minister Petar Mutafchiev has invited the heads of the consortium to talks, but sources say the latter are unwilling to attend such a meeting. According to specialists, the Kuwaiti consortium has more grounds to claim forfeits than Strabag, because the Bulgarian party is also to blame for the extension of the term because of the delayed expropriation of land in the region.
Source: Pari (10.01.2006)

Some 345,000 plane tickets for the regular destinations were sold in Bulgaria in 2005. In 2004, their number was 280,000. The gaining amount to 101,5 million euros, which is by 28% more compared to the receipts in 2004, which were 79,5 million euro. The airlines in Bulgaria reaped this success despite the appearance of 2 low cost airlines - Sky Europe and Wizz Air on the Bulgarian air market and in defiance of the expansion of the charter programs and the drastic hike in the prices of kerosene. At present, some 33 airlines do trade business in Bulgaria. 23 of them fly, while the other 10 just sell tickets on regular destinations. According to the preliminary data, the number of passengers going through the four Bulgaria's international airports is 5.053 million. The number of passengers, who used the services of Sofia Airport, is with over 300,000 higher compared to 2004. This is due to the vehement development of the winter tourism, which is much more profitable than the summer one. The replacement of the Russian made airplanes with western ones will be ended by the end of 2006. 10 Boeings 737, 9 - McDonnell Douglas MD 82 planes, 4 - Airbus € 320, 3 - ‚€¥ 146 and 2 - ATR-42 fly with different Bulgarian airlines. It is expected that the number of Boeings and Airbuses be increased with several more after the final replacement of the Russian planes used in Hemus Air and Air Via.
Source: Standart (13.01.2006)

Wizz Air offers flights between Sofia and Rome via Budapest twice a week. For the time being passengers to Sofia could fly once a week only. Tickets are already available on the company's web site at wizzair.com and on the call centre. In 2005 the largest low-budget and low-tariff air company in Central and Eastern Europe transported 1.9 million passengers which is a growth of 233%.
Source: Standart (24.01.2006)

Austria’s Strabag, which is building the new passenger terminal at the Sofia airport, has officially claimed EUR 12 million forfeits from the Bulgarian party, the PARI daily learned. According to knowledgeable sources, the Austrian company has also demanded extension of the term for project completion until July 2006 from engineer NACO. The deadline for finalisation of construction works was August 31, 2005. After that date, the Bulgarian transport ministry had to start charging forfeits for the delay. The problem can only be solved if the two parties reach agreement on the amount needed to complete the construction and on the terms for finalisation of the works, experts say. If this fails to happen and the issue is referred to international arbitration, Bulgaria is very likely to lose the case. The transport ministry is considering an option for certification of the terminal in parts. Experts, however, say that this would be violation of the contract, which does not provide for such an option. The inability of the previous and the current teams of the transport ministry to cope with the case is proven by the fact that a tender for legal consultant was opened a month ago to service and analyse the relations among the transport ministry, the engineer and the project contractor. According to unofficial information, 11 companies have filed offers for participation.
Source: Pari (24.01.2006)

Hungarian low-cost airlines Wizz Air will be running seven flights weekly to London as of May 1, 2006. Four of the flights are from Sofia, the other three from Bourgas, on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The planes, Airbus A 320, will land at Luton airport in London. From June 15 till September 18, Wizz Air will serve a regular seasonal destination Bourgas – Budapest with one flight a week. During the first 2 weeks, the tickets will cost 26,99 euro with included airport charges.
Source: Standart (02.02.2006)

Nearly 5 mln passengers have traveled from and to Bulgaria during 2005, and the air companies in Bulgaria registered 16 per cent growth, the chairman of the Association of the Bulgarian Air Carriers Mr. Svetoslav Stanulov revealed. The figures were revealed at a special meeting of the Bulgarian air companies in Ihtiman. Mr. Stanulov also said that Bulgarian companies thus marking an increase of 16% as compared to 2004 have transported 2 million of the passengers. The foreign companies have increased the per cent of their passengers up to 10-11 per cent. The regular international passenger flights, which in 2005 belonged to Bulgaria Air SPJSC, Aviation Company Hemus Air SPJSC and Viaggio Air SPLTD, are mainly being carried out from Sofia Airport. In regular international airlines through Sofia Airport, Bourgas Airport and Varna Airport 1 760 000 passengers were transported (21,8 per cent more than 2004). The mentioned data registers a notable success for the Bulgarian air companies for the international airlines, which is due to introducing of modern airplanes and the flexible price and trade policy. According to Mr. Stanulov Bulgaria will become more and more attractive destination and object for the European air companies-partners.
Source: Monitor (06.02.2006)

The ceiling of the new airport in Sofia collapsed only a few months after it was installed. The hanging construction was about 500 sq m. The ceiling of outer premises fell down that are intended for the planes' auxiliary equipment. Fortunately nobody was injured.
Source: Standart (08.02.2006)

Bulgaria’s Ministry of Transport and the Austria-based company Strabag are negotiating over an extraordinary agreement about the failures in the construction of the new airport, said the Minister Mr. Petar Mutafchiev. The purpose is to avoid the intervention of arbitration, provided by the contract as means for settling arguments. “It is to the interest of both sides not to go on a trial”, said Mr. Ludwig Steinbauer, representative of Strabag. The Ministry, the consultant NACO, and the constructor Strabag established working group to clear the mutual claims related to the construction of the new terminal.
Source: Sega (17.02.2006)

The Italian air company with low tariffs Myair, offers cheap tickets to Sofia, Milano and Bologna. The price of the return ticket is between EUR 107 and 130 including airport fees. The flights from Milano and Bologna to Sofia start at the beginning of April. From the company's web page it becomes clear that you will get the best price if you make you reservation at least 15 days before the date of the flight. The other companies for cheap tickets that have flights to Sofia are Wizzair, Sky Europe and the Norwegian Air Shuttle.
Source: Monitor (27.02.2006)

Until the end of the year the airport fees of Sofia Airport become EUR 15. The increase is due to the more expensive maintenance of the new airport and is consisted with the European airports. The new fees are to be approved by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transport.
Source: Standart (01.03.2006)

Officials from the European Investment Bank (EIB) will visit Bulgaria this week to discuss the expansion of the Sofia International Airport, said deputy transport minister Vesela Gospodinova. The bank has loaned 60 mln euro for the construction of a second passenger terminal. After the newly assembled ceiling of the terminal collapsed and defects appeared in the tarmac of the new taxiway, the airport management notified EIB and the European Commissions about the glitches and the project delays. The 110 mln euro passenger terminal is commissioned to Austrian construction company Strabag. EIB has repeatedly urged for a speedier completion of the facility so that it could start generating income for the airport. Some 87 mln euro of the loan resource has been absorbed so far. Strabag recently requested to revise construction cost up by an additional 15 mln euro, citing the rise in steel and metal prices. The Austrian company has reportedly told transport minister Petar Mutafchiev it will not repair the defects in the taxiway tarmac. The sides are seeking an out-of-court settlement.(
Source: Dnevnik (13.03.2006)

Representatives of the European Commission (EC) delegation to Bulgaria and the European Investment Bank (EIB) will be checking up the spending of EIB funds for the reconstruction and expansion of the Sofia airport this week, the PARI daily learned. The information was confirmed by the airport's CEO, Plamen Stanchev. Meanwhile it emerged that the grace period of the EUR 60 million loan provided by EIB for the project had expired. The first installment on the international loan, which amounts to 4.16% of the total credit, had to be paid on March 5. It was not immediately clear whether the amount had been transferred. Bulgaria may face serious sanctions for delay of the installment. Experts, however, comment that the losses will not be smaller if the money has been wired, because the project has not been finished yet.
Source: Pari (13.03.2006)

The first installment on the international loan extended by the European Investment Bank (EIB) for the reconstruction and expansion of the Sofia Airport was paid on February 23, 2006, Plamen Stanchev, the airport's CEO said. The grace period of the EUR 60 million loan provided by EIB expired on March 5, 2006, as the PARI daily already wrote. The first installment on the international loan amounts to 4% of the total credit. The second installment on the loan has to be paid in September 2006. The loan is secured by the state and Bulgaria cannot afford to default on payments, experts say. The contract for the loan was ratified by the parliament in November 1997 and the agreement with EIB was signed in November 2002. Retiring payments on the loan inflicts losses to the state as Bulgaria still does not have a new airport built and the old airport has to pay interest on the loan, according to specialists. Bulgaria also missed the deadline for extending the grace period on the credit. Representatives of the European Commission (EC) delegation to Bulgaria and the EIB will be checking up the spending of EIB funds for the reconstruction and expansion of the airport as of tomorrow. Various options, which will enable the terminal and the runway to be completed by July and September 2006, respectively, are sought. This will be very difficult and there is a possibility that the new airport will be ready in a year, specialists say.
Source: Pari (14.03.2006)

Sofia Airport will pick a company to deliver and mount office equipment in the service premises of the new passengers terminal. The company should provide the new furniture within 50 days after taking the order. Financing of the order is wholly provided by the Airport, and the sum will be paid in two. In order to be admitted to the procedure, the companies should cover some requirements, defined by the management of the airport. The candidates should prove their economical, finance and technical ability to fulfill the order.
Source: Dnevnik (28.03.2006)

Ubbicalia Bulgaria, a unit of Spanish construction and engineering group Detea, will build a large logistic center near the Sofia International Airport, said company manager Vera Ralcheva. The 15 mln euro facility will occupy a 5.0 ha site and will consist of built-to-suit office and warehouse buildings. Ralcheva said the land plot has been purchased and is undergoing the required zoning procedures. Construction works are scheduled to begin in late 2006 and should be completed in 3 years. Detea, which has been doing business in Bulgarian for 2.5 years, has so far invested here 25 mln euro and intends to spent another 120 mln euro by 2011 on projects developed by Commercia, the division for commercial and entertainment properties, and Ubbicalia, the division for industrial, logistic and production facilities. Detea is currently building the 50 mln euro Commercial Park Sofia, a shopping destination adjacent to Business Park Sofia which will sport an array of retail outlets. The center should be finished in late 2007 or early 2008. The area around the Sofia International Airport is quickly becoming a logistics hub with a handful of developments in progress. Tishman and Business Park Sofia owner Lindner have teamed up for the 65 mln euro Sofia Airport Center. Israel's Engel has announced plans for a 45 mln euro logistics center without specifying a launch date for the construction works.
Source: Dnevnik (07.04.2006)

The fifth British Aerospace (BAE) airplane of Bulgaria’s Hemus Air arrived at Sofia Airport, the company said. This is also the second plane of the air carrier from the BAE-143 series with increased capacity of 110 seats. By the beginning of the summer season Hemus Air expects two more BAE-143 airplanes with 110 seats and second Boeing 737 plane with 148 seats.
Source: Monitor (11.04.2006)

No deadline for the reconstruction and the expansion of the Sofia airport, deemed as the largest infrastructure project in Bulgaria, has been set yet. The Bulgarian Aviation Forum (BAF) approached recently the chief prosecution on the fact that Bulgaria has started repaying the EUR 60 million international loan extended by the European Investment Bank (EIB) for the project. Bulgaria is to pay the second installment in September 2006, which means that the state already incurs losses from repaying the loan and not being able to exploit the new airport. BAF had already approached the chief prosecution about breaches in the construction of the Sofia airport in October 2003. Both teams of Bulgaria's previous transport ministry turned a deaf year to the warnings of the independent experts. The project has reached a stage at which the state cannot afford to cancel the contract and seek for other companies. Furthermore, Bulgaria will incur huge losses if the contract with Austrian contractor Strabag is terminated and awarded to another company. Still, someone has to assume the political responsibility and negotiations with the contractors have to be sped up. Transport minister Petar Mutafchiev is unwilling to comment on an exact date, but is optimistic that the passenger terminal and the runway will be completed by the end of 2006.
Source: Pari (12.04.2006)

The old runway of the Sofia airport needs urgent repair, as it was last rehabilitated in 1989, the Pari daily learned. The repair back then was necessitated by damage caused by the landing of an Il-86 of Russia's Aeroflot, as the runway was not made for that type of aircraft. The rehabilitation in 1989 included the taxiways, too. Despite the quality repair, the asphalt cover is more than 10 years old already, while the international standards require upgrades every five years. After the new runway is put into operation, the old sections will continue to be used by charter and low-cost carriers. Therefore the state should urgently take measures and undertake rehabilitation, specialists are adamant.
Source: Pari (19.04.2006)

Israeli company Ashtrom has filed the cheapest offer for the reconstruction of 87 km of roads in Northern Bulgaria. Bulgaria's Road Executive Agency unsealed Wednesday the five bids submitted by Ashtrom, Austria's Strabag, local company Avtomagistrali Cherno More and the tie-ins Road and Dunav RPS. Ashtrom has proposed reconstruction costs of 19.141 mln euro with a 13% discount. The offer of Dunav RPS, led by a Czech company, was around 100,000 euro more expensive. Strabag, which is building the extension of the Sofia International Airport, filed the most expensive offer. The project is part of the Transit Roads 4 program which will assist the reconstruction of a total of 430 km of roads. The 81 mln euro budget of the program was borrowed from EIB
Source: Dnevnik (20.04.2006)

National flag-carrier Bulgaria Air has run up a debt of BGN 2 mln in ground service and refuelling charges towards the Sofia International Airport in the past 3 months, an airport source said. 'This type of liability is part of our normal business relations,' said Bulgaria Air executive director Zlatin Sarastov, vowing that the debt will be repaid. A procedure to select a buyer for the national air-carrier is expected to be launched in late May. The company slumped to a loss of BGN 11 mln in the first quarter but Sarastov assured it will break even by May.
Source: Dnevnik (25.04.2006)

The tourist industry forms national union in Sunny Beach resort. Among the founders will be tour-operators, mayors of mountain and sea resorts, managers of Sofia, Bourgas and Varna airports. Today the hotelkeepers will launch long-term project for afforestation of Sunny Beach.
Source: Standart (25.04.2006)

Bulgarian company ProWave OOD said the nation's first TETRA network will be operational until June. The first clients of the network are the Kozloduy nuclear power plant, the Sofia International Airport, the Varna airport and the electricity distribution companies operating in Sofia and the Sofia region, said ProWave executive director Krasimir Ganchev. The client base should reach 1,500 by end-June and 10,000 by the end of the year. ProWave plans to spend 30 mln euro on the development of the network in the next 3 years, said Ganchev. Some of the necessary financing will be solicited from banks, including the EBRD and 2 of the biggest banks operating in Bulgaria, and from 2 unnamed U.S. investment funds. EADS and Selex have so far been contracted to supply equipment for ProWave's TETRA network. The network currently covers Sofia and the Sofia region and Kozloduy, on the Danube, and should reach Stara Zagora, Plovdiv and the whole of North-eastern Bulgaria by the end of 2006. ProWave is in talks to plug into the network the Maritsa Iztok coal mining company. Other potential clients include the ministries of interior, defence and disaster and emergency response, the civil defence and national power grid operator NETC. The TETRA network will not compete with the cellular grid operators GloBul, MobilTel and vivatel but will seek to phase out the analogue radio networks.
Source: Dnevnik (28.04.2006)

Bulgaria will try to hammer out an amicable agreement with Austrian construction company Strabag on issues dogging the launch of the new passenger terminal of the Sofia International Airport, said transport minister Petar Mutafchiev. The negotiations, which will aim to avoid bringing into the matter the International Court of Arbitration in Paris, will begin immediately after the 2 parties agree on a mediator. The issues that will be negotiated include the completion of the terminal, the penalties for the construction delays and the repair of defects in the new runway and the ceiling of the terminal. The initial hand-over deadline for the passenger terminal was August 2005. It has so far been reset three times. The new terminal meets EU requirements for servicing passengers and implementing required border controls and would have an annual capacity of 2.5 mln passengers a year and a peak-hour rate of 2,000 passengers. The airport's only other terminal is stretched to capacity by a traffic of 2 mln passengers annually. The Austrian company has so far refused to resurface the cave-ins that have appeared in the new runway. NACO, the Dutch supervisor/engineer of the project, has proposed for the unfinished facility to be officially handed over which is possible under the existing construction contract. The penalties for the missed launch targets cannot exceed 10% of the project's tab nor encompass a period longer than 100 days. Strabag has requested a 15 mln euro upward revision of the project costs, citing an increase in metal prices. The Bulgarian side has said this request was not acceptable.
Source: Dnevnik (03.05.2006)

RAK Airways, a UAE air carrier based in Ras Al Khaimah, said it may launch flights to Bulgaria as the Balkan state could offer onward connections for UAE-bound European travellers. The base of the air carrier is 70 km from Dubai. Bulgarian general consul to UAE Milen Keremedchiev said the two sides could create a joint venture company to fly between Ras Al Khaimah and Sofia.
Source: Dnevnik (12.05.2006)

Strabag, the Austrian company hired to build the new passenger terminal of the Sofia International Airport, has opposed the use of a mediator in its negotiations with the Bulgarian transport ministry on an amicable agreement concerning the much-delayed launch of the facility, said transport minister Petar Mutafchiev. The negotiations, which will aim to avoid bringing into the matter the International Court of Arbitration in Paris, were supposed to begin after the 2 parties agree on a mediator. The talks will focus on the new hand-over timetable for the passenger terminal, the repair of defects in the new runway and the ceiling of the terminal and the default penalties. The initial hand-over deadline for the passenger terminal was August 2005. It has so far been reset three times. A representative of the European Commission has been invited to attend the negotiations because the ISPA program provides 40 mln euro for the project while the EIB has loaned 60 mln euro. The new terminal meets EU requirements for servicing passengers and implementing required border controls and would have an annual capacity of 2.5 mln passengers a year and a peak-hour rate of 2,000 passengers. The airport's only other terminal is stretched to capacity by a traffic of 2 mln passengers annually. The Austrian company has so far refused to resurface the cave-ins that have appeared in the new runway. Strabag has proposed for the unfinished facility to be officially handed over which is possible under the existing construction contract. The penalties for the missed launch targets cannot exceed 10% of the project's tab nor encompass a period longer than 100 days. Strabag has also requested a 15 mln euro upward revision of the project costs, citing an increase in metal prices.
Source: Dnevnik (15.05.2006)

This week it will become clear whether Germany-based Strabag and Bulgaria’s Ministry of Transport and Communications will sit at the negotiation table and discuss the new terminal of Sofia Airport. There is still some hope the argument will be solved through a mediator and out-of-court settlement. Experts say the Strabag group can afford the luxury to lay down conditions, because they are well aware of that the new terminal, as a generator of revenues to the treasury, is more necessary to Bulgaria than to Strabag itself.
Source: Standart (16.05.2006)

British Airways said it will add London-Varna flights on Mondays and Tuesday in its June 5-Sept 26 schedule. From June 2, BA will add 3 Sofia-London flights on Wednesdays, Fridays and Thursdays. The additional flights, which bring to 14 the weekly BA flights between the two countries, will be serviced by London's Gatwick airport. BA started a regular London-Varna service on Mar 29 '06. Flights are available twice a week from the Gatwick airport.
Source: Dnevnik (23.05.2006)

British Airways will launch three new night flights between London and Sofia. The airplanes will take off from Gatwick Airport at 10:55 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and will land in Sofia at 4:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The return flights will leave at 5:00 a.m. from Sofia and will arrive at 6:35 a.m. in London. The three new flights will solve the problem with the landing of the planes departing from Heathrow and arriving to Sofia of the Bulgarian air carrier Hemus Air that now have to land in Plovdiv (central Bulgaria).
Source: Standart (26.05.2006)

Diamond Dynamics Bulgaria, the local distributor of Austrian composite aircraft manufacturer Diamond Aircraft Industries, has sold 2 aircraft since Dec '05 and expects sales to reach 10 units by end-'06. The company entered two of its models at last week's air show in Lesnovo, near Sofia. Diamond Dynamics Bulgaria offers post-sale maintenance services at avionics facilities in Sofia, Lesnovo and Gorna Oryahovitsa.
Source: Dnevnik (30.05.2006)

International airports in Bulgaria are most likely to have to step back and other companies to take control over the duty-free shops. Sofia, Varna and Bourgas airports do not follow one of the criterion of the revised duty-free trade law. The new regulation is that the company must have at least BGN 2 mln statute capital. Sofia Airport possesses BGN 500 000 and the other two airports BGN 250 000 each. Unofficial data points out that about 7-8 per cent of all income generated at the airports in Bourgas and Varna is due to the duty-free trade. The percentage is slightly bigger for Sofia Airport.
Source: Sega (08.06.2006)

The first passenger jets will land on the new runway of the Sofia International Airport in early September, said the airport's executive director Plamen Stanchev on Monday, June 19. The surfacing of the 2.5 km runway will wrap up in late June with the first test landings and take-offs scheduled for early August. The construction timetable has been agreed with Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi and Sons, the Kuwaiti company hired to build the new runway, and project consultant COWI. The original hand-over deadline for the facility expired in February 2006. Construction had to be extended by several months after an underground landfill was discovered during excavation. Bulgaria started negotiating last week with Strabag a solution to the disputes with the Austrian contractor over the collapsed ceiling in the new passenger terminal and the cave-ins in the tarmac of the new taxiways. The transport ministry said it will not comment on the progress of the negotiations. Strabag has twice requested that NACO, the Dutch supervisor/engineer of the project, approve the official hand-over of the terminal, an option provided under the construction contract. According to unofficial sources, the Bulgarian side has accepted the request to ensure the terminal is operable towards the end of the summer. The initial deadline for the completion of the passenger terminal was August 2005. It has so far been reset three times. The EUR 110 mln project is co-financed with EUR 60 mln from EIB, 38.1 mln euro from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and EUR 50 mln from EU's ISPA program.
Source: Dnevnik (20.06.2006)

The implementation of projects such as the Trakia highway and the Sofia airport is behind schedule due untransparent initial procedures. The talks for the revision of the conditions for the concessioning off of the Trakia highway will continue for two months, regional development and public works minister Assen Gagauzov forecasts. Gagauzov inaugurated yesterday the rehabilitated Sliven-Bourgas stretch of the highway. If the government approves the results from the talks with the Bulgarian-Portuguese consortium selected to construct the highway, a contract will be signed, Gagauzov said. Otherwise a new procedure will be launched. Not a single transparent and well-argumented deal for the construction of a new or the improvement of the old infrastructure has been sealed over the last 16 years, experts in the transport sector say. Despite the fact that the schemes for the concessioning off of the Trakia highway and the Sofia airport completely differ, the state incurs losses from the delay of the construction works on the international road in the case with the highway and from the repayment of the international loan received for the construction works in the case with the Sofia airport.
Source: Pari (27.06.2006)

For the first six months of the year Sofia Airport has transported 1 040 404, which is an increase by 16,4 per cent from the previous year. The increase of the business flights is by 31 per cent, reported the airport. The most intensive days for flights were May 1 and June 2 and the most preferred destination is Sofia – Varna. The Bulgarian and foreign companies that fly at Sofia Airport, are 25 with 42 destinations.
Source: Novinar (12.07.2006)

Bulgaria's transport ministry is ready to start a partial hand-over of the new passenger terminal of the Sofia International Airport built by Austria's Strabag. The Bulgaria side has accepted Strabag's demand that the facility is officially hand-over against the commitment on the part of the contractor to finish the terminal and repair the structural defects that have appeared in the process of construction. The Bulgarian government is trying to reach an out-of-court settlement with Strabag and avoid international arbitration in the dispute with the contractor over the numerous hand-over deadline misses. The passenger terminal was supposed to be ready in August 2005. Strabag missed that deadline and requested a cost revision, citing the spike in international metal prices. The Bulgarian side has so far agreed to a cost overrun of 4.68 mln euro. Unless during the talks scheduled for this week the Austrian contractor backs off on some demands it has made, the dispute may have to be referred to international arbitration, said experts from the transport ministry. The 110 mln euro expansion of the Sofia airport is co-financed with 60 mln euro from EIB, 38.1 mln euro from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and 50 mln euro from EU's ISPA program.
Source: Dnevnik (17.07.2006)

There is a delay in the implementation of big infrastructure projects, transport minister Petar Mutafchiev admitted, presenting a report on his first year of administration of the sector. The delay concerns mainly the reconstruction of the Sofia airport, the Plovdiv-Svilengrad railway line, and the construction of the Danube Bridge 2. The problems were inherited from the previous team of the ministry, Mutafchiev explained. In his words, the committee in charge of the Danube Bridge 2 project has not convened for two years. There is no progress on the expropriation of land for the railway line, while the negotiations with Strabag on the airport terminal have become a vicious circle. Practice shows that all problems with the construction of major infrastructure projects in Bulgaria so far have been due to the fact that tenders are won by the candidate proposing the lowest offer. Such has been the case with the new airport terminal and the modernisation of Plovdiv-Svilengrad. According to unofficial information, Greece's Terna, which was chosen to carry out the first stage of the railway project (from Krumovo to Parvomay), is going to request additional financing for the reconstruction. The Greek company submitted an EUR 85 million offer and received EUR 8 million (i.e. 10% of the project value) from the previous team of the transport ministry. Though Terna was granted permission to begin the reconstruction back on May 25, engineering works have not started yet. Minister Mutafchiev was adamant he would not admit extension of the terms, nor negotiate additional financing.
Source: Pari (10.08.2006)

Bulgarian airports posted an 80% increase in income for the first half of 2006, year on year, transport minister Petar Mutafchiev said. All transport companies improved their performance in the first six months of the year, he added. Airports' total profit amounts to BGN 18 million, the leader being Sofia airport with BGN 15 million. The Bulgarian railway carrier, BDZ, reduced its losses to BGN 1.119 million at the end of June, down from BGN 12.377 million for the first six-month period in 2005. BDZ's income for the first half of 2006 exceeded the year-ago result by BGN 24 million.
Source: Pari (10.08.2006)

New Sofia airport runway open for flights The new runway of the Sofia International Airport will be cleared for active use as of 3 pm on Thursday, August 31. The bulk of the funding for the facility, completed in 3 years at a cost of USD 52.9 mln, was provided by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Development with some co-financing from the airport itself. The 3.6 km runway was built by Kuwaiti contractor Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi and Sons. The original hand-over deadline for the facility expired in February 2006. Construction had to be extended by several months after an underground landfill was discovered during excavation. The Kuwaiti contractor will reportedly seek additional financial compensations. The transport ministry expects to hear from project consultant COWI on the issue. The new passenger terminal of the airport will be partially handed over September 15 by Austrian contractor Strabag, said transport minister Petar Mutafchiev. The two sides have agreed to refrain from any financial disputes until December 15. Strabag is seeking the additional payment of EUR 17 mln while the Bulgarian side is pressing for EUR 11 mln in default damages. The initial deadline for the completion of the passenger terminal was August 2005. The designed capacity of the new terminal of 2.6 mln passengers will be reached in 2008-2009.
Source: Dnevnik (31.08.2006)

Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev was the first VIP who personally tried a new runway in Sofia airport. He and Transport Minister Peter Mutafchiev landed after taking a 20-minute fly over the airfield with a Mi-8 chopper of the government Air Force. Sofia airport is Bulgaria's main gateway to the world. I'm proud of the new runway, which is 800 m longer than the old one and is suitable for all types of aircraft, Stanishev said adding that he hoped to inaugurate the new passenger terminal before Bulgaria's EU accession, January 2007. The new runway started functioning Wednesday night. It is 3,600 m long and can service up to 20 machines an hour.
Source: Standart (31.08.2006)

Bulgaria's telecom regulator said it will grant a Tetra licence to local company Kan. The 15-year licence, which has nation-wide coverage, will be awarded on a non-competitive basis because there was no other candidate. The nation's first Tetra licence was granted 2 years ago to local company ProWave OOD. ProWave planned to launch its TETRA network by June '06. The first clients of the network are the Kozloduy nuclear power plant, the Sofia International Airport, the Varna airport and the electricity distribution companies operating in Sofia and the Sofia region.
Source: Dnevnik (11.09.2006)

Hungary's Wizz Air, the first low-cost carrier operating in Bulgaria, will start servicing flights between Sofia and Rome in 2007. The tickets are already on sale on the website of the company at a promotional price of EUR 0. Passengers will have to pay only the airport fees, the company said. The first flight to Rome's Champino airport is scheduled for March 2, 2007. Wizz Air will service three Sofia-Rome flights weekly. The new destination will replace the regular flights to Budapest. Wizz Air carried more than 80,000 passengers on its Bulgarian destinations in one year, the company said.
Source: Pari (15.09.2006)

The Bulgarian transport ministry has asked Strabag, the Austrian company building the new passenger terminal of the Sofia International Airport, and Naco, the Dutch company hired as engineer and supervisor of the expansion of the airport, to certify the safety of the rebuilt ceiling of the terminal which collapsed last year. One of the options to speed the much-delayed launch of the terminal is to reconstruct the ceiling at the expense of the contractor and have the construction supervision authority approve the building for partial use. This is the work-around supported by the transport minister because it would ensure the terminal becomes operational before the end of the year. The second option is to postpone the hand-over of the terminal. Strabag has agreed to resurface the tarmac of the new taxiways which has caved in places. An investigation into the cause for the tarmac defects which appeared 2 years ago determined that the bitumen mix that was used was to blame.
Source: Dnevnik (19.09.2006)

The Bulgarian aviation market will soon be flooded by low-cost airlines, which will displace the Bulgarian air carriers, industry experts warned. The directors of the airports in Sofia, Bourgas and Varna meet every week with managers of low-cost carriers requesting to be granted airport access and service. Currently two low-cost airlines operate officially on the Bulgarian market: Hungary's Wizz Air and Slovakia's SkyEurope. But just two months after Bulgaria joined the Single European Sky Agreement, interest in Bulgaria as a destination has been demonstrated by more than ten new such companies. We have had talks with six low-cost carriers willing to fly to our airport, the executive director of the Bourgas airport, Kalin Barzov, told the Pari daily. These include Germany's Germanwings, Czech Smart Wings, Danish Sterling, and Norwegian Air Shuttle. The same companies have inquired about the airport in Varna too. The biggest European company in this segment, EasyJet, is also expected to start flying to Bulgaria. Negotiations have been already held and Bulgaria will be soon officially listed as a destination. The executive director of the Sofia airport, Plamen Stanchev, confirmed for the Pari daily that talks had been held with more than five low-cost airlines. These include another big European player, Ireland's Ryanair, as well as Morocco's Atlas Blue, Denmark's Sterling and Britain's Jet2.
Source: Pari (20.09.2006)

Austria's Strabag, which is building the new passenger terminal at the Sofia airport, has not yet submitted the required additional information about the suspended ceiling that collapsed in February to the National Construction Control Directorate (NCCD), the Pari daily learned. Last Tuesday the NCCD gave one week to the company to present all necessary documents. If we do not receive the documents the contractor will have to repair the 5,000 sq. m of ceiling at its own expense, the transport ministry commented. The total value of the project amounts to EUR 110 million.
Source: Pari (27.09.2006)

Sky Europe, one of the leading low-cost air carriers in Europe, has announced a special promotion. The company will offer 500 tickets free of charge to passengers flying on the destination Sofia-Bratislava. The promotion is organised to mark the 50,000 passengers carried by Sky Europe to and from Bulgaria since the beginning of 2006, the company said. Those willing to take advantage of the free tickets may book their flights online until October 8. The discount is for the flights of the company in the periods October 1 to December 15, 2006 and January 9 to March 24, 2007. Airport fees will be paid separately.
Source: Pari (04.10.2006)

Four no-frills carriers have notified the Sofia International Airport of their interest to offer regular flights to and from Bulgaria starting January 1, 2007 when the local aviation market opens to competition. Italian low-cost airline Myair will introduce on February 15, 2007 a new flight between Bologna, northern Italy, and Sofia, the company said in a statement quoted by news agency ANSA on Tuesday. The service will be available three times a week. Ireland's Ryanair, Britain's easyJet and Germany's Germanwings have also forwarded a flight schedule to the Sofia airport. Ryanair has proposed a service between Sofia and Frankfurt, Dnevnik learned from the Sofia airport. EasyJET wants to fly between Sofia and London. The company confirmed it was in talks with 50 airports, including Bulgaria. Several budget carriers are also seeking regulator slots from 2007 at the Burgas airport, on the Black Sea. Norwegian Air Shuttle, Britain's Thomsonfly, Germanwings and Ryanair are all interested in flying to Burgas, said Kalin Barzov, executive director of the airport. The Norwegian carrier has proposed flights to Poland, Norway and the rest of Scandinavia from March 2007. German Wings will fly from Burgas to Duesseldorf and Cologne. SkyEurope and WizzAir have the Bulgarian low cost market to themselves at the moment. Budget carriers were kept away form the Bulgarian aviation market over the past couple of years to preserve the market share of flag carrier Bulgaria Air which is currently undergoing a privatisation procedure. However, Sofia recently signed the open skies agreement that grants all European carriers access to the local market. The document is expected to be ratified by the Bulgarian parliament within a month.
Source: Dnevnik (11.10.2006)

The new terminal of Sofia Airport has to start operating by December 15, the Bulgarian transport minister Mutafchiev said. He has set a deadline for finalisation of theairport's new passenger terminal. By December 5 Austria's Strabag has to be ready with the reconstruction of the suspended ceiling, which collapsed in February.
Source: Novinar (18.10.2006)

Bulgaria's Sofia airport expects that the National Construction Control Directorate (NCCD) will give permission for use of the interior of the new passenger terminal, said executive director Plamen Stanchev. According to sources, however, no request for permission has been submitted to the NCCD yet. Under the law, the document has to be filed by the contracting authority, i.e. the transport ministry. The latter first has to receive a report from the engineering company, Dutch NACO, that the project has been completed and approved by the respective bodies. The engineer has not prepared such a report yet because the contractor, Austria's Strabag, is not ready to deliver the project. Besides, a Bulgarian company is currently making an absolutely unnecessary revision of the engineer's information. That creates a vicious circle that may further delay the finalisation of the project, specialists say.
Source: Pari (25.10.2006)

The new passenger terminal of Bulgaria's Sofia airport will be most probably opened on December 15, as promised by transport minister Petar Mutafchiev two weeks ago, the Pari daily learned. Sources say that Austria's Strabag, which is building the terminal, has started to demolish the suspended ceiling, which collapsed in February - fortunately, without taking victims. A team of Bulgarian structural engineers have designed a new plan for replacement of the ceiling, which Strabag will have to do at its own expense. The initiative for the project belongs to minister Mutafchiev, who was abandoned by his deputies and took things in his hands. Only now, after three expert examinations irrefutably showed that the ceiling has to be demolished and rebuilt, has Strabag given up. That is actually the second time the Austrian company has yielded to Bulgarian engineers. The first time was when the same engineering team did not accept Strabag's proposal for pilot founding, which is inadmissible in an earthquake zone. That saved between EUR 20 and 30 million to the state. If the National Construction Control Directorate had not intervened and if it had accepted the ceiling as repaired by Strabag on September 15, now we would have been threatened by a new collapse, specialists comment. According to them, the terminal will be launched with a certain delay on December 15 but at least all safety requirements will be met.
Source: Pari (30.10.2006)

"US Tishman International Companies will invest EUR 200 million in a logistics center located some 300 meters away from Sofia Airport. The construction of Sofia Airport Center will be launched at the beginning of 2007 and will be finished in five years," the Director of Tishman International Companies, Alan Levi, announced. The logistics complex will have a built-up area of 256,000 square meters. The office buildings will take up about 100,000 square meter, while the logistics areas with multilevel underground parking lots will occupy 20,000 square meters. Sofia Airport Center will have a hotel with 250 rooms. The construction of an artificial lake and a park have also been planned.
Source: Standart (03.11.2006)

The US company Tishman International Companies starts in the beginning of next year the construction of Sofia Airport Center - a business park of more than 256,000 sq. m gross-floor area. It will be on a site of 140,000 sq. m at a hundreds of new terminal of Sofia Airports, with offices, warehouses, underground adn agove-ground parkings and four- and a five-storey hotel with 250 rooms. The design was prepared by the Czech studio Cigler & Marani Architects and the Bulgarian ProArh. Project manager is the British Gardiner & Theobald, exclusive representative for renting - Forton International.
Source: Construction City (07.11.2006)

Italy's Air One, which lost the tender for privatisation of Bulgaria Air, is unlikely to appeal the result in court. A decision has not been taken yet whether to contest the cabinet's decision to approve Balkan Hemus Group as buyer of 99.99% of the national flag carrier, company representatives said. The deadline for appeal expires in a week. Most probably Balkan Hemus Group will sign the privatisation contract within the set term, i.e. 20 days after promulgation of the decision. At the end of November the European Commission will check whether the Bulgarian administration, airplanes and aviation base meet the safety requirements, experts said. Sofia airport's new passenger terminal will be opened by December 21 at the latest, minister Mutafchiev said. The project contractor, Austria's Strabag, has already submitted the necessary documents for the ceiling reconstruction to the National Construction Control Directorate.
Source: Pari (09.11.2006)

Bulgaria's National Construction Control Directorate (NCCD) issued permission for the use of Sofia airport's new passenger terminal on Wednesday. According to the airport's executive director, Plamen Stanchev, the terminal will start operating before Christmas. Airlines will move into their new offices until the end of January. The terminal itself will be used only by low-cost carriers. In Stanchev's words, the new runway, which was officially opened on August 31, is also ready to service passengers.
Source: Sega (23.11.2006)

No-frills airline Ryan Air will start offering flights to Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second biggest city, from August 2007, said Plamen Nikolov, executive director of the Plovdiv airport. The low cost carrier will fly from Plovdiv to destinations in Britain, Spain and Germany which have a substantial population of Bulgarian expats. In Germany, Ryan Air will use the Hahn airport near Frankfurt. The destination airports in Britain and Spain have not been specified. In related news, it emerged that the Sofia airport is in talks with both Ryan Air and easyJET. EasyJET refused to provide more information. A slew of budget carriers will enter the Bulgarian aviation market in the second half of 2007 and in 2008, predicted Plamen Stanchev, director of the Sofia International Airport. The local no-frills segment is currently shared by Wizz Air and SkyEurope. Bulgaria's overall aviation market is valued at EUR 400-500 mln annually. Italy's MyAir and Germany's German Wings will start operating from the Sofia airport with the start of the summer flight schedule on March 25, said the Sofia airport. Wizz Air and SkyEurope are expected to increase their flights to and from Sofia from the same date by 22 and 15 respectively. German Wings said it will fly three times a week between Sofia and Stuttgart and Berlin. The company also said it is interested in a service to and from Plovdiv. MyAir plans to offer 23 flights weekly from Sofia to Bologna, Torino and Milan. The executive director of the airport in Burgas, on the Black Sea, recently said Norway's Norwegian Air Shuttle, Britain's ThomsonFly, German Wings and Ryan Air were interested in operating from the coastal city.
Source: Dnevnik (14.12.2006)

More than EUR 300 million is expected to be invested in large logistic projects in the region of the Sofia airport in the next couple of years, according to an analysis of imoti.net. At least three complexes will be built on an area of some 6 ha. The biggest of them, Sofia Airport Centre, is expected to be launched in 2007. The project will amount to EUR 200 million. The Sofia municipality plans to build a direct road from the airport to Gorublyane or Pancharevo, giving forwarders a direct connection to the city's ringroad. A land expropriation procedure in the region is under way.
Source: Pari (14.12.2006)

The reconstructed Sofia Airport will be inaugurated with a flight of Bulgaria Air from Brussels. "The airport will be opened officially on December 27," said Plamen Stanchev, Executive Director of Sofia airport. According to Mr. Stanchev the first plane to land at the reconstructed airport landing-strips will come from the heart of the EU - Brussels, symbolizing Bulgaria's EU Accession. Bulgaria's PM, the Minister of Transport and a lot of MPs will attend the inauguration ceremony. A better IT system for managing the arrivals and departures of passengers will be installed in the new terminal. "Until now five companies have moved in the new airport," said Stanchev. The airport also has a new website. The new terminal was supposed to be ready a year ago but the deadlines were extended several times by various ministers.
Source: Standart (18.12.2006)

Austria's Strabag, which is building the new passenger terminal at Bulgaria's Sofia airport, will be ready to complete the project in the spring of 2007 at the earliest. The first portion of the terminal was delivered on Monday by a senior Strabag official to transport minister Petar Mutafchiev. Officially, the terminal will be opened on December 27. Bulgaria is a strategic market for Strabag and we are ready to carry out other projects as well, the company said. The Austrian company has finished the building and the adjoining parking lot, garage and gallery, as well as the approaches to the terminal from the city. It is yet to build part of the platform and the taxiways and install lightning. It has been agreed that possible future defects will be removed at Strabag's expense.
Source: Pari (19.12.2006)

European low cost carrier SkyEurope Airlines Wednesday announced it will start a regular service between Bulgarian capital Sofia and Vienna's Schwechat airport from March 2007. SkyEurope plans to service the new route with a brand-new Boeing 737-700 daily with the exception of Sundays, said Krasimir Tanev, marketing and sales director for Bulgaria. The company intends to at least double the number of flights on this route by the next winter. Vienna was added to the roster of SkyEurope destinations after the carrier opened its latest base at the Schwechat airport. The company plans to go aggressively after the Vienna market, offering the lowest fares. The second no-frills carrier that operates in Bulgaria is Wizz Air. The company recently said it plans to increase to 22 the flight options to and from Sofia. Ireland's Ryan Air recently said it will open in August next year a service from yet-to-be-named airports in Britain, Spain and Germany to Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second largest city. Italy's MyAir and Germany's German Wings will start flying to and from Bulgaria on March 25, 2007.
Source: Dnevnik (21.12.2006)

A low cost airlines invasion is to expect in Bulgaria no later than in March, after the prognoses of the airline specialists. To compare in Poland 55 percent of the air transport are occupied by the budget airlines. In Slovakia the 75 percent of the market are held by low costs since in Bulgaria the low cost market amounts to 7 - 8%. Because of that there is a significant growth potential in Bulgaria. On the average to Europe the budget flights are 25 - 30 percent and it is to expect by the end of the year Bulgaria to come closer to this market distribution. 70 % of the low cost target group are people never flown with a plane. The rest are people that used by now alternative traffic vehicles - railroads, autobuses etc. But to use the low fares advertised at 10 to 20 euro for one-way tickets exclusive of the airport fees, the passengers have to make a reservation not later than a month before the flight and to pay within the framework of 24 to 48 hours, explained the experts. Otherwise the price jumps several times adjusting the other careers. During the 2006 besides Wizz Air and Sky Europe that already operates on the Bulgarian market, the German Germanwings and the Irish Ryan air are expected to announce their flight program also. At the beginning the low costs will take off the old terminal of Sofia airport because of the lower airport fees. Also Plovdiv, Varna, Gorna Oriahovitsa and Burgas airports where the landing conditions are excellent could accept budget flights.
Source: Monitor (10.01.2007)

Lufthansa and the Austrian Airlines are moving to the newly opened passenger terminal of the Sofia International Airport, the German air carrier said in a press release. Together with Star Alliance Partner Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa will move operations to Terminal 2 as of March 25, to coincide with the start of its summer schedule. Until then, the company will continue to serve clients at the old Terminal , now Terminal 1. Terminal 2, inaugurated on December 28, 2006, has already welcomed Bulgaria Air, Hemus Air, Viaggio Air and Cyprus Airways. All carriers currently using Terminal 1 should switch to the new facility by mid-2007. The second phase of the EUR 111 mln expansion of the airport, commissioned to Austria's Strabag, should be over by this spring with the completion of some taxiway infrastructure.
Source: Dnevnik (25.01.2007)

The National Railway Infrastructure Company will receive BGN 75.19 million state budget subsidy in 2007. A total of BGN 7.02 million will be allocated to the Sofia airport, while the Port Infrastructure Company will receive a EUR 20 million subsidy. Further BGN 12 million will be earmarked for encouragement of innovations. Some BGN 1 million will be allocated from the state budget for improving the competitiveness of the companies in 2007.
Source: Pari (26.01.2007)

Sofia airport's new passenger terminal offers expensive taxi fares, no luggage carts and cafes A month after the new passenger terminal at the Sofia airport was officially opened, the facility remains almost empty. A total of EUR 110 million were invested in the project for the renovation of the airport. Some of the facilities at the new terminal do not operate at full capacity due to the small number of passengers. The new terminal is capable of handling 7,000 passengers but there are only 12 luggage carts available at present. The arriving passengers are not able to rent a car at the airport yet. The new technical equipment has been delivered at the offices of the rent-a-car companies but is still unpacked. The people waiting at the meeting point cannot even buy a newspaper or a coffee at the terminal due to the fact that the tenant shops have not been issued permits from the National Construction Control Directorate yet. At the same time, the cafe at the old passenger terminal of the airport has been shut down. The taxi fares at the airport are very high and there are often confusions as regards to which terminal the passengers are supposed to depart from. As a result, they often have to pay fees at both parking lots of the airport.
Source: Pari (29.01.2007)

The new runway of Bulgaria's Sofia airport, which was officially put into operation on August 31, 2006, has shown a serious defect, the Pari daily learned. The asphalt covering in the eastern part has cracked, which poses a big risk to airplanes, specialists say. There are several reasons for the defect. The Kuwaiti-Arabian consortium that built the runway, Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi and Sons, offered a price by USD 10 million lower than the actual price of the project. Instead of sub-contracting Bulgarian companies for the construction works, the consortium hired workers from Egypt and Pakistan. It is not yet clear if the asphalt laying formula was property observed. In a reply to a Pari daily's question, Sofia airport CEO Plamen Stanchev said there was no serious problem with the runway. In his words, the cracks are small and measures have been taken to fill them in. The head of the Civil Aviation Administration, Zahari Alexiev, said the operational worthiness of the runway had not been affected. But according to experts, the runway will have to be closed for more than a month to remove the cracks.
Source: Pari (08.02.2007)

Spain's FCC, which won the tender for design and construction of the Danube Bridge 2, has envisaged an additional EUR 50 million in its own budget for the facility, the Pari daily learned. That is the reason for the low price offered by the Spanish company: EUR 105.2 million. Consultants estimate the project at EUR 150-160 million. The closest offer was submitted by the consortium of Germany's Zublin and France's Eiffel: EUR 158.298 million. FCC hopes to save part of the project costs as it manufactures some of the necessary components. Given the 5% deduction included in the offer, however, the price of the bridge drops to less than EUR 100 million, which is unrealistic, experts say, adding that the company may ask for more money later on. FCC has officially declared that all contingency costs have been included in the offer.
Source: Pari (13.02.2007)

There is a set circle of companies that always participate in the distribution of money for large infrastructural projects, construction experts said. Glavbolgarstroy and Moststroy are most often mentioned as subcontractors to big foreign companies. They are also candidates for the expansion of the taxiways and platform to the new terminal of Bulgaria's Sofia airport, the Pari daily learned. Three Bulgarian companies are shaping up as candidates for the completion of the terminal - an offer has been also submitted by Trace Group. The latter was subcontractor to Strabag for the construction of the airport's terminal but after the Austrian company delayed the agreed payment the group quit. Moststroy was chosen to build the road to the new airport. The company that is most competent to extend the taxiways and expand the platform is Trace Group, specialists say. The lobby of Glavbolgarstroy in the airport's administration, however, may turn out stronger and the company may emerge as the favourite for the project. According to sources managers of the project for reconstruction and expansion of the Sofia airport are connected with Glavbolgarstroy and trying to provide it with the contract. It is well know that Moststroy had a lobby with the former transport ministry's team, when the airport project was launched. The two companies are also cited as likely subcontractors to the Bulgarian-Portuguese consortium that will build the Trakia motorway.
Source: Pari (19.02.2007)

Most foreign airline companies servicing flights to and from the Sofia airport will move into the new passenger terminal in March, the airport said. These include the likes of the Aegean Airlines, the Austrian Airlines, Alitalia, Air France, Aeroflot, Air Malta, British Airways, Lufthansa, LOT and Malev. Lufthansa has demanded that all issues related to the transportation of the passengers to and from the terminal be solved first. Lufthansa has raised the question for the insufficient number of taxis at the new passenger terminal.
Source: Pari (05.03.2007)

Austria's Strabag, which built the new passenger terminal of the Sofia airport, will most probably participate in the tender for expansion of the old runway, the Pari daily learned. The transport ministry terminated the previous procedure, because the Austrian company remained the only candidate and asked a very high price for the repair. An offer was also submitted by Bulgaria's Trace Group, but the holding later pulled out of the procedure. Sources say that happened under pressure. Trace Group was Strabag's subcontractor in the terminal project but quit because of payment disputes. According to unofficial information, Strabag has used the argument, which reached to international arbitration, to remove the Bulgarian company from the tender. Three companies have submitted offers for the runway reconstruction so far, according to knowledgeable sources. These include Glavbolgarstroy, Moststroy and Trace Group.
Source: Pari (12.03.2007)

Bulgaria's telecom regulator said it has launched a delicensing procedure against local company Kan which was awarded a Tetra permit in late '06. Kan's failure to pay due licensing fees breaches the terms under which it was awarded the Tetra permit, said the regulator. The 20-year permit was issued on a non-competitive basis as Kan was the only candidate to come forth. The operator, a virtual unknown in the industry, has one month to comply and keep the licence.
Source: Dnevnik (13.03.2007)

The Sofia Airport turned out to be more expensive than the airports in New York. Passengers using the new terminal pay higher airport charges than at some of the airports in America. Prices in restaurants and cafes are extremely high, alarmed shocked passengers. Bulgarian beer costs 8 levs (1 euro = 1.95 levs) a bottle. Prices of pizzas vary around 8-9 levs, compared with $2.5 at the JFK Airport in New York.
Source: Standart (19.03.2007)

Landmark acquires Porsche Center too. The company invests EUR 13m at 8% initial profitability. The seller is Orchid Developments Group. This is the only business building of this class in the area of Sofia airport that is expected to develop as an office centre in the few years to come. It has been completed last year. In three years time the situation will be completely different. The project of Sofia Airport Center of Tishmann is going ahead as well as well as Equest with Auto Union. The easy access is the most important comments Tania Koseva-Boshova, executive director of Landmark Property Bulgaria. Orchid bought the plot in 2004 for EUR 500,000, EUR 6m were invested in construction. The current situation on the office rentals market is one of growing pressure and strong occupancy from last year.
Source: Construction City (20.03.2007)

US Tishman Management Company will receive on Wednesday a first-class investor certificate from the state for its Sofia Airport Centre project. The document will be awarded by economy and energy minister Rumen Ovcharov. The company is expected to invest EUR 250 million in the project. The complex will cover a built-up area of 165,000 sq. m. and will accommodate a logistics centre and a first-class hotel with 250 suites. The first stage of the Sofia Airport Centre project is slated for completion by the end of 2008.
Source: Pari (21.03.2007)

FairPlay International will invest nearly BGN 110 million in the construction of a logistic centre in Varna in cooperation with Bulgarian Property Developments. This will be the biggest rental project in the coastal city. Construction works started on Wednesday and are expected to be completed in 2010. The logistic park will be built on a 13-ha plot on the site of the former canning factory in the western industrial zone. As much as BGN 26 million has been invested so far, the amount was used mainly for purchase of the land. The total built-up area of the park will exceed 80,000 sq. m and will include warehouses, offices and commercial space. The project will be carried out in three stages.
Source: Pari (22.03.2007)

Bulgarian airports reported profits of BGN 46,2 million (EUR 1 = BGN 1.95) for 2006, which is a rise of 28,77 per cent compared to 2005, shows the report of Bulgaria's Ministry of Transport. Revenues of Bulgarian airports increased by BGN 17,4 million. The profit of the Sofia Airport grew to BGN 28,7 million for 2006 while the Bourgas Airport reported earnings amount to BGN 10 million. Bulgarian ports also reported higher revenues reaching BGN 8.66 million in 2006. Their profits stood at BGN 7.6 million, which is twice as much compared to 2005. The ports of Bourgas and Rousse reported profits of 2.8 million and BGN 2.39 million respectively. The Bulgarian State Railways reported a loss of BGN 27,7 million, a decrease of BGN 14,2 million compared to 2005. The loss of the National Company Railway Infrastructure stood at BGN 58,6 million, down by BGN 19,3 million compared to 2005.
Source: Standart (27.03.2007)

The clients of Raiffeisenbank, who are to get a mortgage loan for over EUR 5,000 for the period of 6 years by June this year, will get a free ticket to Vienna. The promotion offer of the bank and of SkyEurope was launched yesterday. Raiffeisenbank is also decreasing interest rates. For the first 6 months the mortgage loans will have an interest rate of 0%, and after that a rate of 6.9% for the loans in BGN and 6.4% for the ones in EUR.
Source: Darik Radio (27.03.2007)

Patishta i Mostove, Glavbolgarstroy/GBS Infrastructure Construction and Building Development Holding (BDH) have filed bids for the landscaping of a 40 ha area around the new passenger terminal of the Sofia airport, the transport ministry said on Tue. The Glavbolgarstroy-led tie-in has proposed the lowest project cost, EUR 6.1 mln. The highest offer was that of BDH at EUR 10.5 mln. The landscaping contract should be signed by May. The new terminal opened on Dec 27, '06.
Source: Dnevnik (28.03.2007)

Three Bulgarian companies have submitted offers for landscape design and construction of the new Sofia airport. That emerged after the bids were unsealed at the transport ministry. The landscape is the last contract to be awarded as part of Sofia airport's reconstruction. The deadline for filing offers was March 26, 2007. The candidates for the project include road and bridge construction company Patishta i Mostove of Varna; a consortium of two companies of Glavbolgarstroy; and Building Development Holding. According to knowledgeable sources, Austria's Strabag also bought documents but did not submit an offer. Most probably the company will participate in the tender for expansion of the airport's taxiways. The lowest bid, EUR 6.158 million, was filed by Glavbolgarstroy. The second-best offer was submitted by Patishta i Mostove (EUR 7.199 million). Building Development Holding assessed the contract at EUR 10.517 million. The financial ceiling of the project is set at EUR 8 million.
Source: Pari (28.03.2007)

Airplanes will already be able to land at the Sofia airport in conditions of reduced visibility, minister of transport Petar Mutafchiev said. The information was confirmed by the airport's executive director, Plamen Stanchev. The system for blind landing will start operating by August.
Source: Sega (11.04.2007)

The legal squabbles over nearly all properties of bankrupt former flag carrier Balkan, which Israeli businessman Gad Zeevi failed to sell after the privatisation of the company in 1999, have been settled. The fate of the Cosmos hotel in Bourgas, however, remains to be solved. It turns out the hotel is subject to restitution claims. Lawsuits involving the Regional Cooperative Union (RCU) Chernomorie in Bourgas and bankrupt Balkan, represented by its receivers Stanislav Lyutov and Radoslav Tonev. RCU's wants to assume ownership over a 1,770 sq. m plot along with the Cosmos hotel built on it. Balkan, however, is expected to regain ownership over the last of its properties, which Zeevi tried to sell after the disgraceful privatisation of the company in 1999, according to Pari daily's sources. The bulk of Balkan's properties which were restored from Zeevi were sold by Lyutov and Tonev through public auctions. The strongest interest attracted the sale of the aviation bases at the Sofia and Varna airports; part of Balkan's properties abroad; the Pliska hotel in Sofia and the administrative building of the company near the Sofia airport. Most of these properties are currently owned by Chimimport, a shareholder in Bulgaria Air and Hemus Air. Bulgaria's national flag carrier Bulgaria Air is not the legal successor of Balkan. It was established in 2002 with BGN 10 million capital. Chimimport acquired Balkan's aviation base at the Sofia airport through Hemus Air in 2004. The tender for Balkan's aviation base in Varna was won by the local airport. Chimimport also acquired five properties of Balkan abroad in a package deal sealed in 2004. One of the main reasons for Hemus Group's shareholder to win the tender for the privatisation of Bulgaria Air in 2006 was the volume of the offered investments. Chimimport vowed to make BGN 65.1 million investments in the company in the first two years and BGN 82.5 million investments in first five years after the privatisation. The new policy for the development of the flag carrier is already giving results, Dimitar Pavlov, executive director of Bulgaria Air and Hemus Air said. Chimimport also acquired the Pliska hotel and Balkan's administrative building at the Sofia airport. The sell-off of the Pliska hotel became possible in the middle of 2006, when the Supreme Administrative Court revoked the injunction on it. Until then the receivers were only allowed to let the hotel. The Cosmos hotel, the Dolna Banya base, the aircrafts and the vehicles of Balkan were also placed under injunction.
Source: Pari (19.04.2007)

Swissport International Ltd., a leading service provider in the global ground and cargo handling business, said it has been licensed by the Bulgarian aviation authority to provide ground handling services at the Sofia International Airport. Starting at the beginning of June, Swissport will provide passenger and baggage handling, load, pax, catering and ramp services. Bulgaria's civil aviation law requires that a second operator join the Sofia airport after annual passenger traffic exceeds 2 mln, a milestone reached last year. The company will open 200 new jobs, said Swissport Bulgaria managing director Christian Draeger. According to unofficial sources, Greece's Olympic Airways, Germany's Lufthansa and the Austrian Airlines are in talks to hire the services of the new operator. No one from the Sofia airport management was available for comment. The coastal airports in Burgas and Varna, operated by a Fraport-led consortium under a concession arrangement, are also expected to open their ground handling services to new players.
Source: Dnevnik (23.04.2007)

Austria's Strabag, which is building the new passenger terminal at the Sofia Airport, is trying to exert pressure on the transport ministry to accept its forfeit claims, the Pari daily learned. Strabag and the ministry of transport are yet to agree on the contract parameters, according to Pari daily's sources. The reason for the pressure is the fact that Strabag is about to have a new shareholder and is trying to collect its receivables, including in Bulgaria, experts say. The negotiations are underway but no exact date for a second meeting with Strabag representatives has been set yet, Vessela Gospodinova, deputy transport minister. The volume of the claims should be settled only after Strabag completes the terminal, according to Gospodinova. The Austrian company demands to be paid additional EUR 15 million for the project, citing appreciation of construction materials. The company has committed to complete the terminal by May 15, Gospodinova said. Russia's Rasperia Trading, owned by billionaire Oleg Deripaska, will acquire 30% in Strabag for EUR 1.2 billion. The news was broken by insurer Uniqa, which is a shareholder in Strabag.
Source: Pari (26.04.2007)

Sofia airport is a host of the regional forum for developing new routes - Intra-Regional Route Development Forum – 2007. The forum will be held in the Kempisnki-Zografski hotel in Sofia, the Ministry of Transport announced. Based on the World Route Development Forum, this year’s forum is directed towards low-cost and regional airlines and airports in Europe. A press conference will be held today at 11.00 am local time at the Kempinski-Zografski hotel.
Source: Agency Focus (14.05.2007)

Sofia's new airport is expected to be completed by September, the airport's executive director, Plamen Stanchev, said. The airport hosted an international aviation forum, Routes, where new airlines are agreed in different regions of Europe and the world. Austria's Strabag, which is building the new terminal, has to finish the project by May 15 but it will hardly observe the term, deputy transport minister Vessela Gospodinova commented recently. However, the airport has to be ready by September, when a blind landing system has to be in place. It will allow airplanes to land in conditions of reduced visibility and the new runway will be given a higher category. The capacity of the new airport is 2.600 million passengers, Plamen Stanchev said. The old terminal can service another 1.600 million, so the total capacity of the Sofia airport will be between 4.200 million and 4.400 million passengers. A new line, between Sofia and Warsaw, will be opened, it emerged at the forum. The flights will be performed by Poland's Lot.
Source: Pari (15.05.2007)

The committee made up of the airlines using the Sofia airport will launch a competitive procedure to select a second airport operator, said Sofia airport executive director Plamen Stanchev. The committee will be incorporated in late May by Hemus Air, Bulgaria Air, Air France, the Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa and the low-cost carriers using the Sofia airport. The move aims to satisfy the EU directive on the access to the groundhandling market at community airports whose traffic has been not less than 2 million passenger movements or 50 000 tons of freight. The Sofia airport is expected to record 2.6 mln passenger movements in 2007. Bulgaria's Civil Aviation Authority has so far licensed Militzer&Munch, Air Sofia, Hemus Air and Swissport to provide ground-handling service on the territory of the Sofia airport. The new operator will be charged for the use of the Sofia airport infrastructure according to transparent and cost-based tariffs set by the transport ministry. Stanchev said candidate operators that are connected entities or already have 25 per cent of the groundhandling market of a particular airport will not be eligible for a licence. This is the case with Hemus Air and Bulgaria Air which have the same owner. Hemus Air has a self-handling licence while Bulgaria Air has applied for a groundhandling licence.
Source: Dnevnik (15.05.2007)

The selection of a second operator of Bulgaria's Sofia airport is very likely to come under fire, the Pari daily learned. A few days ago the airport's executive director, Plamen Stanchev, said that a special user committee of Bulgarian and foreign airlines will announce a tender for a second ground-handling service provider. The committee will be formed in late May and will include Bulgaria Air, Hemus Air, Air France, Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines. According to the European regulations, airports that service more than 2 million passengers have to have two operators to ensure competition. The Sofia airport is still owned by the state and the procedure has to be organised by the transport ministry. However, Pari daily's sources said that the user committee has been set up already and has asked the Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) for permission to announce a tender. CAA's decision is very likely to be delayed until after Brussels' check-up in late May, because the issue of a permit will clearly violate the European directives.
Source: Pari (22.05.2007)

Low-cost air carrier Air Italy announced through its website that it will launch regular flights between Sofia and Verona starting June 1. Air Italy will offer flights every Monday and Friday, investor.bg reported. Unlike other low cost air carriers, Air Italy announced gross prices, airport taxes included. The price of a Sofia-Verona trip starts at 35 euro. A test reservation made by investor.bg showed that tickets at the price of 70 euro with airport taxes included for almost all dates could be still found. Air Italy was established in 2005. It makes use of three Boeing 757-200ER, two Boeing 767-300ER and two Boeing 767-300 aircraft.
Source: investor.bg (28.05.2007)

Swissport will provide passenger services and will handle the luggage at the Sofia airport as of June 18, 2007, the company said. Swissport was selected as a competitor of the Sofia Airport by Bulgaria's Civil Aviation Administration (CAA). The move was prompted by the fact that Sofia Airport is already servicing more than 2 million passengers annually and needs a competitor for the ground handling services. Swissport Bulgaria is eager to establish itself on the Bulgarian aviation market, which is one of the fastest developing in Europe, Christian Draeger, managing director of the company, said.
Source: Pari (06.06.2007)

Swissport is expected to serve as a second operator for the ground handling services at the Sofia Airport as of Monday, the company said. Swissport competitors, however, consider approaching the European Commission (EC) on the selection of the company as a second ground handling services provider at the airport. The companies in question are also registered in the EU and believe that Swissport was selected without a tender procedure, which contradicts European regulations. Swissport also approached Brussels on the fact that the Sofia airport and a recently established consumers' committee are preparing to open a procedure for the selection of second operator for all ground handling services at the airport. The procedure should be opened by the Bulgaria's Civil Aviation Administration. The move was prompted by the fact that Sofia Airport is already servicing more than 2 million passengers annually and needs a competitor for the ground handling services, according to the European regulations.
Source: Pari (18.06.2007)

London-registered low-cost carrier Wizz Air, the first no-frills carrier to enter the Bulgarian market, announced the launch of new flights from Sofia to Dortmund. This is the airline's third route from Sofia following the already operated London and Rome services. The first flight between Sofia and Dortmund will take off on 29 October, 2007 and will be operated 2 times a week initially. Regular one-way fares start from EUR 24,99, including taxes and charges. "We are delighted to be the first low-cost airline to offer direct connections between the Bulgarian capital and Dortmund," John Stephenson, Chief Commercial Officer of Wizz Air said at a press conference in Sofia. According to him the new route will serve the increasing demand of both leisure as well as business passengers and create a new, affordable and fast connection for the VFR traffic. Wizz Air has been operating a base in Sofia with one aircraft and local crew since early 2006. In addition to its Sofia services Wizz Air's Bulgarian network includes a number of summer routes to Burgas and Varna, the increasingly popular Black Sea destinations from the UK, Poland and Hungary. With the addition of the new flights, Wizz Air will have a 37% share of the low-cost carriers market in Bulgaria and 20% - among traditional air carriers. Data of the company shows that no-frills airlines account for about 40-50% of the aviation market in Bulgaria.
Source: mediapool.bg (22.06.2007)

Just 6 months after it welcomed its first passengers, the brand-new terminal of the Sofia International Airport has nearly been overwhelmed by traffic, sending the transport ministry scurrying for expansion options. The traffic load is set to climb further with many airlines planning to increase their flights to and from Sofia in 2007. The terminal was designed to reach a full capacity of 2.6 mln through 2009. The Sofia airport handled 2.2 mln passengers in 2006 and recorded a 21 per cent year-on-year increase towards the end of May 2007. Transport minister Petar Mutafchiev said a meeting of experts will be held to discuss the possible expansion of the terminal. However, Sofia airport executive director Plamen Stanchev assured there was no imminent danger of hitting the capacity threshold. EBRD, which co-financed the new terminal, estimates that full traffic capacity will not be reached before 2011. In related news, it was announced that the conceptual designs for the new terminals at coastal airports Varna and Burgas airports are ready. The new Burgas airport terminal will process 2,000 passengers per hour. Both airports are run by Fraport subsidiary Fraport Twin Star Airport Management.
Source: Dnevnik (02.07.2007)

Courier services provider In Time opened a new administrative building and a distribution centre near the Sofia airport. The value of the new base of the company is estimated at EUR 4 million. The building has a built-up are of 7,650 sq. m and was built jointly with In Time's partner UPS. In Time's headquarters, which was previously located in Sofia's Druzhba 1 district, will be transferred to the new building. In Time plans to expand the distribution centre and to build a new base in central Bulgaria in the next 3-4 years, Rayko Belopitov, manager of the company said.
Source: Pari (02.07.2007)

Austria's Strabag, which is building the new terminal at the Sofia airport is completing the project, Vessela Gospodinova, deputy minister of transport said. The company is expected to ask by the middle of June the National Construction Control Directorate for approval to launch the taxi ways at the airport. The markings of the taxi ways are currently being laid, while the transport ministry is inspecting as to whether the facilities meet the safety requirements. The financial argument between Strabag and the transport ministry is not over yet, Gospodinova said. The issue will be settled after construction works are completed. Strabag demanded be paid EUR 15 million forfeits on the projects.
Source: Pari (03.07.2007)

Swissport has officially taken over the ground handling services at the Sofia airport, the Pari daily learned. The press office of the airport also confirmed the information. Swissport competitors, however, consider approaching the European Commission (EC) on the fact that the company was selected for a second ground handling services provider at the airport without a tender procedure, according to Pari daily's sources. Such tender procedure is not required by law, the Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) told the Pari daily. Furthermore, the Sofia airport is not obliged to sign a commercial contract for the service with Swissport, according to the CAA. The Swiss company has been issued a licence for this type of services by the CAA. The licence allows Swissport to take the ground handling services of the airport, if the company signs a contract with a client or an airline as in this case, experts say. Swissport has signed a contract with Air Malta, the Sofia airport said.
Source: Pari (09.07.2007)

The relations of the Bulgarian transport ministry with Austria's Strabag, which is building Sofia airport's new terminal, and the project engineer, NACO, have substantially improved recently, deputy transport minister Vessela Gospodinova told the Pari daily in an interview. The Austrian company is removing the defects according to NACO's instructions. I hope that the request for putting the project into operation will be submitted to the National Construction Supervision Directorate by the middle of August. We have agreed that the financial claims of the two parties will be discussed after the project is fully delivered, Gospodinova added. The new terminal has capacity to service 2.600 million passengers a year. That figure has not been reached yet, so there is still place for an increase in traffic, the deputy minister said.
Source: Pari (24.07.2007)

British no frills airline EasyJet announced on Wednesday it would add seven new routes to its network this autumn, including Bulgaria. EasyJet, which is considered to be the second-biggest low fare airline company after Ryanair, will start regular flights from Sofia to London. The route will be serviced three times weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from Sofia airport to London Gatwick. The virgin flight will be conducted on November 6. Prices stand at EUR 33.99 for a one-way ticket and EUR 75.77 for a return ticket, airport fees included. A month ago London-registered low-cost carrier Wizz Air, the first no-frills carrier to enter the Bulgarian market, announced the launch of new flights from Sofia to Dortmund. This is the airline's third route from Sofia. It also services flights from the Black Sea airports of Varna and Burgas. Germanwings, Easyfly, Sky Europe, My Air, Air Italy and Norwegian Air are the other low-fare airline companies conducting flights from the three Bulgarian airports.
Source: mediapool.bg (09.08.2007)

Swissport, which is licensed by Bulgaria's Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) to perform ground handling services at the Sofia airport, officially started servicing as a second operator at the airport on Thursday. The Swiss company signed contracts with Air Malta and the Polish airlines LOT. Other companies are also expected to apply with the CAA for a ground handling services licence, experts say. Swissport competitors consider approaching the European Commission (EC) on the fact that the company was selected for a second ground handling services provider at the airport without a tender procedure.
Source: Pari (17.08.2007)

Lufthansa Technique, a unit of Lufthansa and shareholders in Bulgaria's flag carrier Bulgaria Air have signed the contract for the joint use of the the aviation base at the Sofia airport, Bulgaria Air CEO, Dimitar Pavlov, told the Pari daily. The official ceremony will be held in the beginning of September 2007. Nearly EUR 20 million will be invested in the aviation base, where Boeing 737 and Airbus 320 aircrafts will be repaired.
Source: Pari (20.08.2007)

Hemus Air and Lufthansa Technik-Bulgaria are to mutually conduct the repair and maintenance of Boeing 737 aircraft. "A joint venture agreement was signed yesterday," Dimitar Pavlov, Executive Director of the recently merged Hemus Air, Bulgaria Air, and Viaggio Air, said. At a later stage the company will be taking care of Boeing 777 and Airbus A340 aircraft as well. The investment in the new undertaking, which will create 380 new jobs, will gross up to 20 million euros. Repair works will most likely commence end 2008, and be conducted at Sofia Airport. It is expected for 22 aircraft to be overhauled each year. "Bulgaria Air will soon open 3 new regular flight destinations - Sofia-Istanbul, Sofia-Belgrade, and Sofia-Skopje," Mr. Pavlov added. Those will start off by the end of the year with four flights per week.
Source: Standart (22.08.2007)

The new runway of the Sofia International Airport will remain operational during foggy conditions from October after it is upgraded to handle flights in low visibility, said Bulgarian transport minister Petar Mutafchiev. The operation of the runway right after it opened in late 2006 was problematic in low visibility and many flights had to be diverted or cancelled. The proximity of a road has been a problem in getting the runway certified to handle aviation traffic in low visibility, said Mutafchiev. The Sofia municipality has so far refused to close the adjacent road, saying it is of vital use to the neighborhood. Until the transport ministry successfully expropriates the private properties stretching along the runway, barriers will be placed on the road when the runway is operated in foggy conditions, said municipal officials. In related news, Mutafchiev said that the penalties that Austrian contractor Strabag will incur for overstepping the handover deadline for the new passenger terminal will be determined by the end of 2007
Source: Dnevnik (04.09.2007)

The oncoming local authority elections could stumble the operations of the so-called blind landing system at Sofia airport, the transport minister Petar Mutafchiev said. The deadline for granting second category to Sofia Airport is September 27 – before the foggy period comes. The details are coordinated with the Directorate General Civil Aviation Administration, all the software and lighting problems are cleared, but the Sofia municipality refuses to close the highway that is perpendicular to the runway, the minister said.
Source: mediapool.bg (04.09.2007)

Low cost air carrier SkyEurope said it will offer twice-daily Sofia-Vienna flights from late October in a bid to lure more business and lifestyle travellers. Having arrived in Vienna and Prague, SkyEurope passengers will be able to choose from onward connections to a number other European destinations. At the moment, the SkyEurope service between Sofia and Vienna was available six times a week. The carrier said it also plans daily flights to Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Innsbruck, Warsaw, Krakow, Nice and Venice. Flights to Bratislava will be available twice a week. SkyEurope will also fly to Thessaloniki three times a week and to Athens four times a week. Passenger traffic to and from Bulgaria will increase to 130,000 in 2007, said SkyEurope chief commercial officer Karim Makhlouf. Austrian Airlines and Bulgaria Air currently have thee Sofia-Vienna route to themselves. Austrian Airlines will increase from four to five its dailyflightss from Sofia to Vienna with return fares starting from 69 euro without airport charges, said the company's regional manager Kamen Kitchev
Source: Dnevnik (25.09.2007)

Sofia-based insulation materials maker Hydroizomat is the next candidate to get listed on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange (BSE). The company will hold an extraordinary shareholders' meeting on November 16 where its future public status will be discussed. Hydroizomat considers getting listed on BSE in the beginning of November, Borislav Nedyalkov, chairman of the board of directors of the company, told the Pari daily. The company will offer its shares at a closed mixed auction on BSE. A total of 300,000 shares will be offered to investors. The free float of the company will stand at 23%, Nedyalkov added. Hydroizomat generated BGN 1.4 million revenue for the first half of 2007, compared to BGN 653,000 generated for the year-ago period. The company posted BGN 2.29 million revenue and BGN 340,000 profit for 2006.
Source: Pari (10.10.2007)

German airline Lufthansa signed on Tuesday a deal to set up a joint venture to carry out repairs and maintenance works on Airbus 320A and Boeing 737 planes in Bulgaria. The airline's maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) subsidiary Lufthansa Technik will own 80% in the company, and local airline Bulgarian Aviation Group (BAG) - the rest. The two shareholders will invest EUR 20 M to equip a hangar at Sofia airport, which will become operational next year. Lufthansa and BAG, which changed its name from Hemus Group in May, have been in talks for more than two years and the new facility is the first of its kind not only in Bulgaria, but in southeastern Europe as well.
Source: Darik Radio (31.10.2007)

The real estate management company GE Real Estate Central and East Europe will participate in a joint project with Tishman International for Sofia Airport Center construction, said the head of Tishman International Alan D. Levy. The expected cost of the project is EUR 250 mln. The new partener is expected to secure half of the sum. In the beginning of 2008 the first logistic premises may be ready. The construction of Sofia Airport Center notes the first entering of the USA investor Tishman International on Bulgarian business real estate market, as well as the first joint venture of GE Real Estate and Tishman in the region. This is the third big deal in which GE Real Estate participates following Mall Of Sofia and Mall Of Plovdiv. GE Real Estate has invested more than EUR 1 bln in Central and East Europe.
Source: Darik Radio (14.11.2007)

U.S. Tishman, GE unit team up for real estate projects in Bulgaria U.S. company Tishman and commercial real estate company GE Real Estate Central and Eastern Europe have announced plans to invest jointly in several property developments in Bulgaria. Their first joint venture here is the Sofia Airport Center multi-purpose scheme where the partners will split evenly the 250 mln euro investment costs. The commercial park - a mix of office, logistics, storage and hotel buildings located 300 m from the new terminal of the Sofia airport, will have a 10 ha footprint and built-up area of 256,000 sq m, including 100,000 sq m of office space, 20,000 sq m of warehouse floor area and 40,000 sq m of hotel premises. The warehousing component will be operational in early 2008. Talks are underway with international tenants for half of the lettable inventory. The rent rate is 5 euro/sq m per month. The office and logistics space will rent at 12 euro/sq m. The construction of the office component will begin in early 2008 at the latest. An international operator is yet to be selected to run the park's hotel hence the decision to leave the construction of the hotel for the latter part of the project. Tishman is currently negotiating the acquisition of existing office and logistics properties in Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas. The transactions should be finalised in early 2008. Some of them extend Tishman's partnership with GE Real Estate but the partners did not name the project. Tishman also said it will begin work on a logistics center in Ruse next summer.
Source: Dnevnik (14.11.2007)

Sofia Airport may remain operational even at lower visibility from March next year, said yesterday the Minister of Transport Petar Mutafchiev. Until then the airport will introduce the next grade of the current blind landing system that will allow airplanes to lift off and land at visibility of 200 m. The current system operates at visibility of at least 350 m which lead to the allocation of the flights to Bulgaria to Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas. The Minister said that he doubts if Sofia Airport will be able to operate at zero visibility any time soon.
Source: Sega (27.11.2007)

The Deputy Minister of Transport Vesela Gospodinova signed a contract for realzation and supervision of the landscape at the new passenger terminal control unit of Sofia Airport. Roads and bridges SPLT was chosen for the execution of the contract titled ‘Designing and construction of the landscape arrangement of the area near the new building of Sofia Airport’. The contract is valued BGN 7.2 mln, VAT not included. The time for execution is 12 months.
Source: Agency Focus (11.12.2007)

It appears that the reconstruction of the Sofia Airport may cost by three or four million euro less than it was initially calculated. This is provided in the contract agreement between Strabag SE Company and Bulgaria's Ministry of Transport and Communications, The Standart was informed. After a year-long haggle, the Austrian company finally agreed to sign an out-of-court agreement. The claims of the two parties concerning the construction of the new terminal seemed to be the apple of discord. Yesterday, representatives of Strabag and Transport Minister Petar Mutafchiev, his Deputy - Vessela Gospodinova and Plamen Stanchev, Director of the Sofia Airport, had a long discussion over the agreement, which had already been approved by the Council of Ministers. Strabag SE won the tender with a bid for 111 million euro. However, the company finished the construction almost two years behind schedule. Actually, the facility was opened last Christmas. For this reason, the Ministry of Transport required that Strabag should pay the provided in the contract compensations for the delay in the size of ten percent of the bid, or about eleven million euro. The Austrians counterattacked by asking for ten or fifteen million euro extra charges, because of an increase in the prices of steel and construction materials.
Source: Standart (19.12.2007)

Greek co eyes Sofia airport handler licence Greece-registered Goldenair Handling has applied to be licensed to provide ground-handling services at the Sofia International Airport, said the Bulgarian transport ministry. Bulgaria's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will review the application within a month and a half. The CAA has so far licensed Swissport to provide ground-handling service on the territory of the Sofia airport. The company now services Air Malta, LOT and Lufthansa. The Swissport licence was handed out to satisfy the EU directive on the access to the groundhandling market at community airports whose traffic has been not less than 2 mln passenger movements or 50,000 tons of freight, a mark that was reached in 2006. Bulgaria Air is also licensed to provide ground-handling self-services. The airport management has sent a letter to the transport ministry, asking that Swissport and Goldenair remain the only two ground-handlers because further deployment of equipment and ground personnel will create a safety hazard.
Source: Dnevnik (03.01.2008)

The Kiwait-based consortium Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi and Sons, which built the new runway at the Sofia airport, has filed a lawsuit against the airport in the Paris Arbitration Court seeking USD 32 million in forfeits, the Pari daily learned. The lawsuit was filed as early as September 2006, according to Pari daily's sources. The Sofia airport confirmed the information. The airport has filed a USD 22 million counter-claim against Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi and Sons. The consortium has legal grounds to file a claim since the process on the expropriation of land near the airport was delayed. The consortium also was not issued a construction permit for a long period of time. The contractor was given a six-month extension in 2005 to complete the runway. The consortium in turn asked for an additional USD 480 million. Transport minister, Petar Mutafchiev, opposed Sofia airport's stance to go directly to court without trying to negotiate with the Kuwaiti consortium. The transport ministry managed to reach an agreement with Austria's Strabag, which built the new passenger terminal at the Sofia airport. As a result Strabag dropped its EUR 15 million claim and the total value of the project was reduced by EUR 3 million. The transport ministry, however, cannot help in the runway case as it is not a party to the contract. The Kuwaiti contractor has not yet completed the works on the runway, which means that going to court is unfavourable for Bulgaria, experts say. The runway also showed various defects. The adamant stance of the Sofia airport may cost Bulgaria dearly, according to Pari daily's sources.
Source: Pari (04.01.2008)

Sofia Airport is working and no flights have been cancelled. Plovdiv Airport is also working. The weather permits aircraft to land and take off. The airports in the seaside cities of Varna and Burgas have been closed due to fog, the press center of the Transport Ministry announced. The Port of Varna was closed at 22.00 on Monday due to dense fog. The Port of Burgas is open. The port complex in the northern town of Ruse, ferryboat Vidin-Calafat and the Port of Vidin are working in winter conditions. So are the ports in the northern towns of Lom, Oryahovo, Somovit, Svishtov and Silistra.
Source: Agency Focus (16.01.2008)

According to preliminary reports Sofia Airport registers BGN 23 million profit in 2007, executive director of the airport Plamen Stanchev said at a press conference after conferring with representatives of the airline companies, Focus News Agency reported. “The profit could have been larger, if it was not foggy last year,” he noted. The airport has not counted its losses yet.
Source: Agency Focus (17.01.2008)

Profits at state-owned maritime carrier NMB rose by 16.3 mln to 35.1 mln levs in 2007, the Bulgarian transport ministry said on Monday. The company is currently undergoing a privatisation procedure. The state-owned airports made a profit of 21 mln levs last year, said the ministry. The Sofia International Airport was the top-performer with a profit of 20.7 mln levs. However, that represents a 8.6% fall on 2006. In contrast to the state airports, the sea ports in Varna and Burgas recorded a 10% drop in revenue on a weaker traffic of grain shipments. The Danube ports in Ruse, Vidin and Lom all turned in a profit in 2007. Property disposals enabled national railway carrier BDZ to record a profit of 10 mln levs last year despite a 4.8% decline in cargo traffic, said the transport ministry. Passenger numbers are also down on 2006. The loss at the National Railway Infrastructure Company widened by 12 mln year-on-year to 72 mln levs.
Source: Dnevnik (29.01.2008)

An NGO contested in Brussels 50 large EU-funding investment projects for Eastern Europe that have been approved and started. Six of these projects are in Bulgaria and are at the total cost of 5.12 billion euro, said sources from Friends of the Earth - Europe. The NGO believes these projects are harmful to the environment and billions of euro will be wasted. Some of the contested projects in Bulgaria are the construction of Lyulin motorway that will cut across Kresna Gorge, waste management facilities in Sofia, expansion of Sofia airport and construction of Belene NPP. In lines with Sofia's garbage problems, the environmentalists said it is important that a new dumpsite should be found and that garbage should be collected selectively and investments be made for their recycling.
Source: Standart (26.02.2008)

MAK/ADMAK, the Kuwaiti-Saudi consortium contracted for the new runway of the Sofia International Airport, filed in October 2007 two claims for $50 mln with the International Arbitration Court in Paris over the airport's alleged failure to timely provide access to the construction plot, said Plamen Stanchev, executive director of the airport. The delay caused by the slow expropriation of private land plots and the discovery of an uncharted underground landfill during excavation did not allow the contract to hand over the facility as scheduled.
Source: Dnevnik (07.04.2008)

Dutch TNT, which has an office in Bulgaria, will invest EUR 100 million in the next five years in network expansion, transport connections and infrastructure. The aim of the courier giant is to become leader in express cargo services among Southeast Asia, China and Europe. Demand comes mainly from the sectors of high technologies, industry and healthcare. The Bulgarian office of the company, which is headed by Ivan Vassilev, has the ambition to become a distribution centre for express deliveries in the Balkans. TNT has a cargo plane at the Sofia airport.
Source: Pari (14.04.2008)

Capacities for overhaul and maintenance of Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 will be launched in Bulgaria this autumn. The first airplane of Lufthansa will enter the repair shop in October. Lufthansa Technik - the world market leader in the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) of commercial aircraft - holds an eighty-percent stake in the joint venture and the Bulgarian Aviation Group, owned by Chimimport holds a twenty-percent stake. The company is going to invest over eighteen million euro in the modernization of the overhaul and maintenance facilities at Sofia Airports Hangar 3, and another five million euro in the training of the specialists that will take care of the aircraft repair and maintenance. A hundred and fifty people have already been hired and they have passed training courses in Bulgaria. Three hundred and fifty engineers will be employed at the MRO center by 2010, said Dr. Andreas Heizner, Senior Vice President of Lufthansa Technik. Yesterday, Dr. Heizner was given a Class A Investor Certificate by Deputy Minister of Economy and Energy Anna Yaneva. The MRO center will spread over twelve thousand sqm. Boeing Next-Generation 737 and Boeing Classic 737 and the whole family of Airbus A 320 will be repaired in Sofia.
Source: Standart (18.04.2008)

The Bulgarian Alfa Finance Holding, active in financial services, real estate management, mining and logistics, posted a net consolidated profit of 83 mln levs for 2007, a hefty eightfold increase over the previous year. Net consolidated revenues came in at 212 mln levs in 2007, sharply up from 109 mln levs a year ago. The assets of the holding are up 2.8 times to 653 mln levs. In 2007, Alfa Finance Holding folded its logistics assets into Danube Industrial Park and its financial services businesses in Finansia Group, acquired the Plovdiv airport, Skopje-based Capital Bank and a 50% stake in Sofstroy and merged STS Finance into investment brokerage Bulbrokers.
Source: Dnevnik (01.07.2008)

The revenue of Sofia Airport for 2007 was BGN 24.3 million, up 15% from the previous year, minister of transport Petar Mutafchiev announced in a report to the government. Last year, the national carrier Bulgaria Air posted revenue of BGN 204.5 million. The carrier executed a total of 5,500 flights, of which 78.4% were international. Despite a serious crisis, railway carrier BDZ posted a BGN 24 million profit for 2007.
Source: Pari (01.08.2008)

Italy's CO-VER to build Tishman/Ge business center at Sofia airport Italian technology and infrastructure supplier CO-VER Industrial will build a business center at the airport of Sofia, Bulgaria, news agency Ansa reported on Thursday. The business park will be entirely built by the civil works division of CO-VER Industrial. The company won the tender launched by real estate companies Tishman International Companies and Ge Real Estate for the construction by 2013 of the business park, which will be located near Sofia international airport and will cover an area of 180,000 sq m. The center will include seven buildings and will also host a luxury 250-room hotel. The park's first completed building was Marketing Suite which opened in March this year. News agency SeeNews reported that the first phase of the project will be completed by the end of 2009. Full delivery is seen by 2013.
Source: Dnevnik (01.08.2008)

Sofia airport has served 17% more passengers in July of 2008 compared to the same period of the previous year. 297,873 passengers have been processed through the airport in July, while the busiest day registered has been July 29 when almost 10,000 have come through the airport in just one day. The international charter flights also show significant increase - 32%, with 45% more transported passengers. The summer tourist charter fights of international airline carriers are 88% of all international charter flights. London continues to be the top destination from Sofia airport with a record 41,000 passengers in July, which is 50% more than July of 2007. Vienna ranks second with a 15% increase and 23,300 passengers. Frankfurt is the third top destination for regular international flights with 20,800 passengers. The cargo processed through the airport is 1703 tons in July, which is an 8% increase compared to the same period of 2007.
Source: Darik Radio (20.08.2008)

A Bulgarian public state property has been given for management by the Transportation Ministry. The property transfer is a decision of the Cabinet in order to meet the needs of the Main Directorate "Bulgaria Civil Aviation", as announced by the Cabinet's press service. The property is part of the civil airport in Sofia - a government VIP building with an area of 1117 square meters. The VIP building is taken away from flight squadron 28 and along with other airport properties is given to the Bulgarian Civil Aviation. The property use is now transferred to the Sofia Airport Company, which is going to use the collected airport fees for its maintenance.
Source: Darik Radio (22.08.2008)

Sofia Airport SPJSC registered a record in August, when the airport has serviced 333,230 passengers. In August 2007, the passengers that had passed through Sofia Airport were 272,764 and this is a growth of 22 percent. Foreign charter flights register a 40 percent increase. The most preferred destination is Sofia – London (Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton). About 45,000 passengers have travelled to the UK capital. The most busy day has been August 31, when 12,733 passengers flew. The growth of cargo shipments and parcels is 6 percent – 1,367 tons in August 2008 compared to 1,291 tons a year earlier.
Source: Darik Radio (25.09.2008)

Aviation Company Hemus Air SPJSC will purchase 63 thous sq.m. terrain, owned by Sofia Airport SPJSC. The purpose of the government-approved plan is to perform service and cargo of planes and engineering systems as there should be a customs office. A joint project of Lufthanza Tehnik Sofia LTD and Aviation Company Hemus Air SPJSC will be realized. It includes the full recovery, expansion and renovation of Aeroplane shed No3. It is expected to contribute for the full technical maintenance of the two most widespread types of planes in the world. In order to fulfill the new project 360 new jobs sill be opened for well-qualified specialists.
Source: news.bg (02.10.2008)

Sofia airport has been granted a 3A category, meaning that airplanes could land with a visibility a slow as 200 meters. The news was announced by Bulgaria's Transport Minister Petar Mutafchiev Sunday. Mutafchiev participated in the presentation of the military "Albatross F2" plane in the village of Chernogorovo.The plane is a replica of the plane used by the Bulgarian Army during the Balkan War. On October 16, 1912, "Albatross F2" realized one of the first flights in the world when an aircraft was used for military action. The replica has been made by the non-profit organization "Avio relics." After its renovation the airport in Sofia had a category 1 permitting lending of airplanes with visibility of 550 meters or more. The Transport Ministry then had established a goal of upgrading the airport's category and providing better landing conditions, according to Mutafchiev.
Source: Darik Radio (20.10.2008)

Lufthansa Tehnik Sofia LTD, a company specialized in maintenance, recovery and capital repair work on planes, will open own repair base in Bulgaria, the company said. The facility for repairs of Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 planes is located in the area of Sofia Airport. The base will be located on an area of more than 6 thous sq.m. and the investment will exceed EUR 20 mln.
Source: Monitor (24.10.2008)

Metro Mladost, a consortium of firms featuring two subsidiaries of Trace Group Holding, one of Bulgaria's three big construction conglomerates, won the tender to build the extension of the Sofia metro to the city's airport. The consortium offered to design and build the 2.15km stretch of the metro and two stations, all the adjoining infrastructure, as well as an underground parking lot under Tsarigradsko Chaussee Boulevard for BGN 185 million. The extension will be paid for with money from the Government budget and a loan the city hall will take from the European Investment Bank. The deadline to complete the works is 39 months.
Source: Standart (24.10.2008)

Four companies- Bulgaria Air, Lufthansa, Easyjet and Austrian complete 59 % of Sofia airport’s flights, official Airline Guide preliminary data shows. The final assessment of the market wiil be made in January. Peter Boetz, marketing director of Easyjet for Switzerland, Austria and Eastern Europe presented the information.
Source: Dnevnik (20.11.2008)

Sofia Airport expects a 20% rise in the number passengers about holidays, airport director Plamen Stanchev said. He noted that the airport had welcomed approximately 18,000 passengers between December 21st and December 31st 2007. This year the number of passengers is expected to reach nearly 22,000, he said, adding airport staff were ready to welcome the larger number of passengers. Stanchev reminded that since October 17th 2008 Sofia Airport had an operating Instrument Landing System category III A, which means that a runway visual range is not less than 200 meters. The airport director says the system will reduce flight delays due to bad weather conditions.
Source: Agency Focus (26.11.2008)

Sofia airport will most likely allow a third competitor for land services. This is the Swiss Ì&M Air Cargo Services. The company is waiting for the decision of the Supreme Administrative Court on its argument with Ministry of transport that denied existence of third operator for passenger flights on grounds that airport capacity is small. For several years now the company has been attending to cargo flights.
Source: Pari (06.01.2009)

Despite the global crisis, Sofia airport reported positive financial results in all sectors, executive director Plamen Stanchev commented for Pari daily. Its profit after taxes for 2008 is BGN 30.4 million, which is a rise by 39%. Airport taxes added 12% to BGN 66 million. A total of 3,230,696 passengers were attended to, which is 17.6-percent growth. Low-cost companies flying to and from Sofia airport register market share growth of 125% for 2008. easyJet’s regional manager commented that the number of passengers to and from Sofia are the most from all destinations.
Source: Pari (17.02.2009)

Ports and airports would be granted partially at concession in order to achieve higher operations income, said Minister of Transport – Petar Mutafchiev. This would be made possible through an amendment of the Concessions Act, which is to be applied at the Parliament in March. There are already candidates for Sofia Airport, a U.S. company is interested in investing in it. Mr. Mutafchiev expects even more candidates after the modernization of Plovdiv Airport.
Source: Darik Radio (24.02.2009)

Tishman to suspend the new investments in Bulgaria and Romania The shrink of the credit supply has forced the US company Tishman to suspend its plans for investing in new projects in Bulgaria and Romania. The total value of the postponed projects, because of the financial and economic crisis, are valued at EUR 670 million. The put off projects had to be implemented in Plovdiv and Varna. The high prices of the real estates in Romania are the main reason for the termination of the business of the company in Cluj. Tishman has guaranteed that it has no intention to stop the project for the construction of business park near the Sofia airport. “We came 6 years ago. We had plans to invest and began to build Sofia Airport Center. We are not going to give up”, sais Julian Edwards, Executive Director of Tishman in Europe.
Source: Dnevnik (27.03.2009)

Bulgaria Air airline is interested in operating the first terminal of Sofia airport on a concession agreement and has submitted a letter to the facility’s management. The carrier, a subsidiary of Bulgarian Aviation Group, which is controlled by local industrial conglomerate Chimimport, seems to be the most serious prospect concessionaire at this stage. “We have expressed our desire to operate the terminal on a lease of concession agreement but it’s up to the airport to make the decision,” said Dimitar Pavlov, executive director of Bulgaria Air. The airfield’s management said the talks are still in an early stage. “We are holding talks about joint use, lease or concession of the terminal,” said Plamen Stanchev, executive director of the airport. Under one of the ideas, the airport will team up with Bulgaria Air to jointly operate the facility. The terminal is currently being used by no-frills and charter airlines. Last year it handled 600,000 passengers, whose number is expected to grow to 800,000 in 2009.
Source: Dnevnik (14.04.2009)

Private company Plovdiv Airport SPJSC, which manages the passenger terminal, would be expropriated. Valuation is ready, said the Minister of Transport, Petar Mutafchiev, who declined to announce the sum. Holder of 59-percent share in the company is Alpha Finance Holding JSC, owned by Ivo Prokopiev. Minister Mutafchiev said that the expropriation would be accelerated as modernization of the airport should start in June. The Government granted BGN 40 mln for the overhaul. The building will not be used by the airport any longer as passengers would go through the new terminal.
Source: Sega (16.04.2009)

The company is registered in Territorial administration Big taxpayers and insurers towards 2009, 04.30
Source: Tax Administration (30.04.2009)

Bulgaria's main Sofia Airport recorded a 2% increase of passengers in April 2009 year-on-year, despite the global financial crisis. There is a decrease, however, in the flight numbers (-5%), Darik Radio reported. Some of the reasons for the positive results are the constant flow of passengers, and the 19% increase in charter flights at Easter. Bulgaria's internal flights went up by 37% for the same period, which is also a contribution to the overall positive results. Regular flights of international companies increased by 6%. The number of international flights provided by Bulgarian companies, though, decreased by 24% in April 2009 year-on-year.
Source: Darik Radio (21.05.2009)

Sofia Airport has registered a slight decrease in the number of flights and passengers it serviced in May 2009. Its results, however, are better than the average for Southeast Europe, according to Airport representatives. The number of serviced planes in May 2009 declined by 5% compared to May 2008, the number of passengers who went through Sofia Airport declined by 6%, and the business class trips declined by 7%. The effect of the global financial crisis is most tangible in the number of freight flights, which decreased by 25% compared to May 2008, and the total amount of processed freights, which is 30% lower. The fair performance of the Airport is largely due to the Bulgarian airway companies - Bulgaria Air, Bulgaria Air Charter, BH Air, and Air Via, which saw a 40% increase in the number of their passengers compared to May 2008. 33% of the increase in the number of Bulgarians flying within the country is attributed to Wizz Air Bulgaria - first low-fare airline in the country. The busiest day for Sofia Airport in May was May 1 (celebrated as Labor Day in Bulgaria) when a total of 11 081 passengers were serviced; this is 481 more passengers than on the busiest day in May 2008.
Source: Darik Radio (18.06.2009)

Sofia Airport registers a 6-% decline in the number of arriving passengers for May, compared to the same period last year. Serviced airplanes have decreased by 5 %, while the decrease in processed loads is by 26 %. Altogether though the results are better compared to the medium for the region. The effects of the world crisis are strong in goods traffic, where flights have decreased by 25 %, while cargoes by 30 %. The following Bulgarian companies have registered an increase by 40 % in the number of passengers transported for May - Bulgaria Air, Bulgarian Air Charter, BH Air and Air Via, as compared to the same period of 2008.
Source: Monitor (19.06.2009)

Sofia's Airport now has a beautiful park worth BGN 7,2 M, according to Bulgaria's Transport Minister, Petar Mutafchiev. Mutafchiev officially inaugurated the park Thursday in the presence of the airport management and representatives of Varna's "Roads and Bridges"company that accomplished the project. The park is adjacent to the airport and has an area of 365 dekares of green space. It is accessible for pedestrians only - automobiles are not allowed inside the park. The planting of the threes and shrubs, the alleys, and the lake are all completed, but there are still no benches or trash disposals. According to the Airport's Director, they will supplied in a few days and the airport will announce a public tender for the park's maintenance. There is also a project to build coffee shops and entertainment venues in the park. The project is financed by the European ISPA program and by the State budget. Mutafchiev further announced that the repair of part of the Airport's roof that collapsed 6 months ago would cost BGN 350 000, which the management insists is done by the contractor company. In case they continue to delay the repairs, they could be subject to legal action, according to Mutafchiev.
Source: Darik Radio (25.06.2009)

Casino for 100 M Euro to Be Built Near Sofia Airport The construction of a casino for 100 million euro will be built near the Sofia Airport will probably start in a few months, sources from the Bulgarian-Russian investment forum told the Standart. Three big Russian companies have already shown interest in the project.
Source: Standart (27.07.2009)

Revenues from State-run Companies Fill Bulgaria's Budget Gap Six state-run companies will have to contribute fifty percent of their profit for last year to the state budget as dividends. This will probably be decided during today's sitting of the Council of Ministers. State-owned companies Sofia Airport, Kintex, Bulgarian Energy Holding and Bulgarian Posts have to deposit to the state budget half of their profit for 2008 by October 30, while Bulgartabac Holding and national Information Service should make their contributions until December 15. The revenues to the Fisc for September amounted to 1.959 billion levs, up by 130 million levs from August and the gap in the budget shrunk to only 62 million levs end-September, experts from the Finance Ministry said. As there are no indications that the economy has started emerging from the global recession, the only explanation of these positive results is that the anti-crisis measures of Deputy PM Simeon Djankov have started working.
Source: Standart (14.10.2009)

The unpaid delayed salaries in Bulgaria run to a total of BGN 11,340,704. The sum is estimated from mid-August till now, the Chief Labor Inspectorate announced. The highest amount of salaries paid over the week after the check-up executed by the Chief Labor Inspectorate are registered at the following companies: Avtomagistrali EAD – BGN 660,000; Sofia Airport EAD – BGN 489,651; Konstrumet OOD – BGN 84,889; and etc.
Source: Standart (28.10.2009)

The international airports of Sofia, Varna, Bourgas and Plovdiv meet the requirements for external air borders of the European Union, transport minister Alexandar Tsvetkov said. He and interior minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov visited the Sofia airport to see the progress made on EU commitments that will allow Bulgaria to join the Schengen zone. Experts of the European Commission will inspect Bulgaria's airports November 19 through 21. Observing the requirements for accession to the Schengen zone is not a matter of political decision but of commitments to the Community, Tsvetanov pointed out. When Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007 it received EUR 161 million to upgrade its external borders to the Schengen criteria.
Source: Pari (17.11.2009)

Concession prepared for large transport facilities The municipalities of Sofia and Plovdiv will be able to apply for the concessions on the two cities' central stations, deputy minister of transport Kamen Kichev said. The new strategy for modernisation of railway, port and airport infrastructure is now ready and will be officially presented in early 2010. According to it large ports like Burgas, Varna-East and Varna-West, the central stations in Sofia and Plovdiv, and the airports in Plovdiv, Ruse and Stara Zagora will be concessioned off. We have not abandoned the idea for public-private partnership, Kichev added. A new scheme will be used for the upgrade of stations. They will turn into transport hubs that will include the bus stations and the related parking lots. Interest has been shown already in the concession on the airports in Ruse and Stara Zagora. The airfield in Targovishte, which is owned by the Plovdiv airport, will be the first to be offered to concessionaires, in January 2010.
Source: 24 chasa (21.12.2009)

As the curtains close on 2009, Sofia Airport has unveiled statistics for the year, showing an overall drop in activity for 2009 as a result of the global economic downturn. Freight dropped 19 per cent by weight and passenger numbers levels were down by three per cent. About 73 per cent of all flights were international and domestic flights accounted for five per cent, the rest being charter flights. There was a 23 per cent passenger increase in domestic flights, the report said. Furthermore, Bulgarian air carriers accounted for a 44 per cent increase in charter flights in 2009. Statistically, the Sofia Airport said that the top five carriers in 2009 were Bulgaria Air, which ferried about 26 per cent of all passengers, followed by no-frills airline Wizz Air with 16 per cent, Lufthansa with 11 per cent, easyJet and Austrian Airlines with eight and six per cent, respectively.
Source: Pari (26.01.2010)

The first Boeing B737 Next Generation has arrived to Bulgaria for a scheduled overhaul. The aircraft will be thoroughly examined and repaired by Lufthansa Technik Sofia at the Sofia Airport. The team of Lufthansa Technik is supposed to overhaul seven passenger planes of the Oman Airlines by the end of the year. “Since the official opening of the company on the 28th of October 2008 our employees have shown great performance,” said Bernd Freckmann, Chief Executive Officer of Lufthansa Technik Sofia. “The turnaround time has been reduced remarkably due to application of the best practices as well as through the strict implementation of lean principles and not least due to the support from other LHT facilities,” he added.
Source: Standart (22.03.2010)

"We are preparing an accelerated concession of part of the transport facilities in the country - the ports of Burgas and Varna, the airports in Plovdiv, Ruse and Stara Zagora. Private investors will take a part of Sofia airport", announced the Transport Minister Alexander Tsvetkov. Preparations for these sites is going under so that the procedures are innitiated in the next month or two. It is possible that some of them are granted as early as this year, although the procedure is complex. Fast concession may be seen as anti-crisis measure by which to fill the deficit in the Treasury. This week the Transport Ministry will submit a plan for the restructuring and development of BDZ.
Source: Trud (29.03.2010)

The Union of Publishers in Bulgaria has sent a letter to the Minister of Finance Simeon Dyankov demanding to know in which Bulgarian banks the available capital of state companies, among which are Sofia Airport, Bulgarian Posts, Bulgargaz, Kozloduy NPP, NEK, etc., has been deposited and what the exact amount of each deposit is. It also requested information on how the funds are being supervised. Representatives of the Union explained that their inquiry is “related to the deepening economic recession and the necessity for and optimized and transparent management of funds belonging to tax-payers and companies where the state or municipalities are majority shareholders”. The Union based its demands on the Access to Public Information Act. In the end of 2009 the Capital weekly revealed, that by mid-August 60% of the finances of the major state companies were deposited in three banks – Corporate Commercial Bank (Corpbank), Investbank and Central Cooperative Bank (CCB). The Union also demanded to know what the total amount of deposits was by the end of 2009 and requested a clarification of the rules and criterions for risk management determining the choice of a bank. The request was backed by the Trud, the 24 Chasa, the Standart, the Sega, the Dnevnik, the Zemya, the Duma, the Novinar dailies, the Tema and Capital weeklies and other print media.
Source: Novinar (23.04.2010)

Volcanic Cloud from Iceland Reaches Bulgaria According to information of the Iceland's meteorology service, the ash cloud from the volcano Eyjafjallajokull reached Bulgarian territory at 3 am local time. The ash has spread all over the country at an altitude of six thousand meters. Now, the ash cloud is moving to the southeast. Air traffic controllers say the cloud will not disrupt the schedule of the flights, as all airplanes fly at a higher altitude, while public health inspectors add that the cloud is not dangerous for people's health.
Source: Standart (11.05.2010)

A decision on concessioning some of the civil airports is expected to be made at today Council of Ministers’ session. The Cabinet will discuss a report of the Transport Ministry on the preparation for seeking future investors. The ministry’s programme on the development of infrastructure projects concessioning of the airports in Ruse, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Stara Zagora and Plovdiv and of the cargo terminals of the airports in Plovdiv and Sofia. On April 28 the ministers voted for concessioning parts of the ports in Bourgas, Varna, Ruse and Vidin. The same procedure is expected to be applied for the proposal for concessioning railway infrastructure units – the Central Railway Station in Sofia, the Poduene Railway Station, the Central Railway Station in Plovdiv and the Central Railway Station in Varna. The main purpose of seeking concessionaires is the utmost necessity of urgent investments in the airport, port and railway infrastructure.
Source: Class (12.05.2010)

Bulgaria’s Corporate Commercial Bank, which is believed to finance the media group of mogul Irena Krasteva, holds nearly half of the money of strategic state-owned companies. The data was provided Sunday by Finance Minister Simeon Djankov at the request of the editors-in-chief of eleven of the biggest print media in Bulgaria, who approached the department, citing the law for access to information. The eighteen companies listed include the Bulgarian energy holding and its units (gas monopoly Bulgargas, gas pipeline operator Bulgartransgas, state power utility NEK, nuclear power plant Kozloduy, thermal power plant Maritsa East II), as well as tobacco monopoly Bulgartabac, Bulgaria Posts, Sofia Airport, the Bulgarian Railways Company. The data has been dated March 31, 2010. Nearly 65% of the money of these companies are concentrated in three banks, whose market share does not exceed 9% - Corporate Commercial Bank (48%), EIBank, where the prime minister's long-time live-in girlfriend Tsvetelina Borislavova holds a 18% stake and the Central Cooperative Bank, the data shows.
Source: Darik Radio (17.05.2010)

The Commission for Protection of Competition has declared illegal a contract for insurance of Sofia Airport. The reason for it is the complaint of the insurance company Armeec. However, the decision of the CPC will not cancel the selection of a contractor as the contract with the selected company Interamerican Bulgaria was concluded a few days after the deadline expired for challenging the competition. The value of the contract is USD 233 thousand, excluding VAT, and its deadline is 12 months. In its appeal Armeec argued that the set selection criteria lead to discrimination and requested a temporary suspension of the contract, which was not accepted by the CPC.
Source: Dnevnik (18.06.2010)

Lufthansa Technik Sofia, the aircraft overhaul and maintenance joint venture between Germany’s Lufthansa Technik and the Bulgarian Aviation Group, part of industrial conglomerate Chimimport, will invest in the construction of new facilities near Sofia Airport, the company said on Tuesday. The company has reached for capacity and will be accepting no orders by the end of 2011. Lufthansa Technik Sofia, which has so far handled 40 aircraft of more than 20 different carriers in Europe, the Middle East and Northern Africa, will service 35 aircraft over the next 17 months. It has invested upwards of BGN 50 million in Bulgaria.
Source: Dnevnik (28.07.2010)

Bulgaria’s Transport Minister Alexander Tsvetkov has appointed Asen Tanchev as the new executive director of the Sofia International Airport. “The major priority of the new CEO will the application of new ideas and approaches in the management of Sofia Airport which should lead to increased economic performance,” states the formal announcement of the Transport Ministry. Asen Tanchev started work at Coordination Center of Sofia Airport back in 1977. In 1996-2006, he held leading management positions at private companies. In 2006-2010, he work again for Sofia Airport including as the head of the Transfer Coordination Department and the Center for Information and Coordination. The Transport Ministry is removing from office the outgoing CEO Plamen Stanchev without outlining any specific motives. Stanchev has been the CEO of the Sofia Airport since 2005. According to unconfirmed reforms, he was slated for removal months ago.
Source: Darik Radio (04.08.2010)

The Sofia International Airport registered 327 100 passengers in July, which is a 12% increase, in comparison to the same period last year. The passenger traffic is not only fully restored after the economic crisis, but even exceeds by 10% the data from July 2008, airport data shows. In July, there was an increase in the number passengers of international scheduled and charter flights, as well as of domestic flight, which raised by 24% in comparison to July 2009. About 4400 more were the passengers of “Bulgaria Air” from Sofia to the airports at the Black Sea coast. The number of flights also increased. In July, the Sofia International Airport registered a total of 4353 flights, which is almost as much as the number in July 2008. The increase, in comparison to July 2009, is 5%.
Source: profit.bg (13.08.2010)

In July Sofia Airport has attended 327,100 passengers, which is by 12% more compared to the same period in 2009. Passengers’ traffic has been entirely restored after the crisis period and has even exceeded by 10% the levels from July 2008, which was the best financial year, officials from the airport informed. In the heat of summer season both regular international flights or charters and internal lines have marked a 24% year-on year growth. Bulgaria Air has carried about 4,400 more passengers from Sofia to the airports at the Black Sea coast. In July 2010 the number of arriving and departing passengers, who have passed through Terminal 2 of Sofia Airport is 230,225 ? by 10% more compared to 2009, while at Terminal 1 passengers flow has increased by 16%. The rate of flights is improving moderately. In July 2010 4,353 airplanes have landed and took off from Sofia Airport - almost as many as in 2008. The year-on-year growth is 5%.
Source: Standart (13.08.2010)

EC to sanction Bulgaria for no competition at Sofia Airport Bulgaria has violated the Europe’s anti-trust rules by strongly reducing the possibility for other companies to provide services at Sofia Airport, the European Commission (EC) said yesterday as it launched an infringement procedure against the country over this issue. The monopoly affects companies offering ground services such as catering, luggage and fuel handling and transport, ticket processing. The Commission said that the requirements for approval of such service providers imposed by Sofia Airport are too restrictive and bars access to the bulk of the companies. The selection procedures for firms operating at the facility are improper, according to the Commission. The third problem outlined by the EC is that service providers have no adequate access to airport infrastructure. As a result, monopoly has been established of the companies providing services at Bulgaria’s busiest airport. This is in breach of a European directive regulating that every company has the right to compete to operate at EU airports that can handle more than 50,00 tonnes of freight and over two million passengers each year. Sofia Airport is Bulgaria’s only one satisfying these criteria. At the moment, three companies provide services to passengers and aircraft at Sofia Airport. These are state-run Sofia Airport, Swiss Swissport and Greek Goldair Handling. The two private companies’ entry into the airport was mired in controversy and occurred after the pair sent complaints with the European Commission.
Source: Dnevnik (01.10.2010)

The new control tower of Sofia Airport will be completed by the middle of 2012. The project was initiated in 2006 and in the beginning of this year the financing of the project was approved. The tender will be invited in a month and the implementation of the project should take 18 months. The main requirement to the construction company is to work as fast as possible, because during the construction of the new tower Sofia Airport will be functioning normally. The new control tower of Sofia Airport will cost several dozens of millions leva. The business plan of the state company Air Traffic Services Authority for 2010 to 2014 envisages 110 million leva investments in the infrastructure. These investments will be made entirely on funds of the company, collected from transit and landing fees. The company will invest mainly in radars and navigation equipment. The radars to be purchased will be of the latest generation. Among other projects the business plan envisions the construction of an air traffic control center on Cape Emine (Bulgaria’s easternmost point) that will ensure coverage over the Black Sea and control all aircraft flying over the sea. A control system for the airfield of the Sofia Airport will be introduced. About 10-12 million leva will be invested in the so-called radio beacon. A special radar beacon system will serve the whole territory of the Sofia Airport that will enhance safety of the taxiways and runs.
Source: Standart (04.10.2010)

Deputy Transport Minister Kamen Kichev: Bulgaria has fulfilled all its requirements with respect to Sofia Airport "The access to Sofia Airport's infrastructure is fully liberalised. Anyone having the necessary qualifications could carry out ground handling of the airport," said for Klassa Deputy Transport Minister, Kamen Kichev on the occasion of a letter by the European Commission with comments and recommendations to the Sofia Airport Bulgaria tackled the problem as early as June. Brussels criticized us that we failed to provide free access to companies providing luggage servicing and aircraft catering. Currently, such services are performed only by Sofia Airport and the Swissport International Ltd. "In June a license for the same activity was issued to the Greek operator Goldair Handling and thus we have fulfilled the requirements," specified Kichev. The Transport Ministry prepares well-grounded response to the EC letter, which actually referred to violations made in 2007. The Ministry of Transport has already published its official position, stating that the airport has provided competitive conditions for fuel supply companies. Within 2010, a total of 21 licenses were issued to three companies other than Sofia Airport EAD (PLC) for 8 kinds of the airport's activities. From 2007 until so far, over 80 licenses of different bidders have been issued. "More and more air carriers are coming to Bulgaria. We are open to any airline that wants to launch a route to our country, including African ones as well," said also Kamen Kichev. Several days ago he attended Morocco together with the Economy Minister Traycho Traykov at the Ninth Session of the Bulgarian-Moroccan Intergovernmental Commission for Economic, Industrial, Trade and Technical Cooperation.
Source: Class (04.10.2010)

Energy sector still most profitable in Bulgaria Bulgaria's energy industry remains the country's most profitable sector, while segments strongly backed by the government such as transport continue to witness obstacles, according to the earnings reports of state-run companies as at end-June, published on the Ministry of Finance's website. Hospitals reported contradictory figures in the period, while entities under the wing of the Finance and Defence Ministries registered weakened results. State-run power utility NEK booked the highest profit of slightly over BGN 130 million against a loss of BGN 17 million a year earlier. Among the best performers was also Kozloduy nuclear power plant, which saw its profit surge 76% to BGN 42.6 million. The growth was attributed, however, to the deferred costs for spent nuclear fuel disposal, which saved the company BGN 42.6 million. Electricity System Operator (ESO), a subsidiary of NEK, and Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) also reported positive results of BGN 52 million and BGN 104.3 million, respectively. Meanwhile, coal-fired power plant Maritsa East 2 registered a loss of BGN 28.3 million, down 67% on the year, due to lower proceeds from electricity sales. National railway carrier BDZ, the weak spot of the country's transport industry, widened its loss on a consolidated basis by 40% to BGN 62 million. Although its cargo transportation started to increase, underpinned by the recovery in economic activity, it was still below the September 2009 levels. Postal services operator Bulgarian Posts also suffered a BGN 822,000 loss against a positive result of BGN 2.8 million a year earlier, due to a drop in revenue from postal services. Among the Transport Ministry's major entities, Sofia Airport was the only company to preserve last year's profit of BGN 11 million despite the 7% decrease in revenue. Military vehicle repairer Terem-Khan Krum, controlled by the Defence Ministry, broadened its loss for January to September to BGN 3.115 million against BGN 2.38 milion in the same period of 2009. The performance of local state-run hospitals proved to be the most inconsistent, with the hospitals in Ruse, Varna and Sofia's St. Anna reporting negative results.
Source: Dnevnik (02.11.2010)

The Bulgarian cabinet will provide funds to cover up to 25% of the expenses of "Lufthansa Technik Sofia" for staff training. The decision to slate BGN 1.8 mln for the company, whose facilities are located near the Sofia Airport, was made by the Council of Ministers. The partial compensation of the expenses is due to the fact Lufthansa Technik built a class A certified facility for repairs of Airbus and Boeing. Lufthansa Technik Sofia, a joint venture between Germany's Lufthansa Technik and the Bulgarian Aviation Group, was launched over two years ago in Sofia. Together with the Bulgarian Aviation Group, which owns 20% stake in the enterprise, Lufthansa Technik has invested more than BGN 50 mln in the modernization of the maintenance facility and the training of the workers. The Sofia facility employees 300 individuals, 280 of which are technical personnel, mainly Bulgarian engineers who have attended year-long training workshops in Bulgaria, Ireland, and Hungary. Lufthansa Technik has four other similar facilities Schoenefeld Maintenance Centre in Berlin, Lufthansa Technik Malta, Shannon Airspace in Ireland, and Lufthansa Technik Budapest.
Source: Dnevnik (18.11.2010)

Concession at the airport in Sofia would save much state costs and would improve management of the terminals said the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Simeon Djankov during a meeting between business and the government. Djankov did not specify whether to grant a concession to one or two terminals. In May the government approved the intentions of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology to give the airports in Rousse, Plovdiv and Gorna Oryahovitsa and the cargo terminal at Sofia Airport on a concession. According to Djankov the state can get rid of redundant activities and transfer them to the private sector.
Source: mediapool.bg (02.12.2010)

Sofia Airport to register a profit of BGN 14 mln for 2010 According to provisional data, the profit of Sofia Airport for 2010 will be BGN 14 mln. The number of serviced passengers is expected to be 3.324 million people by the end of December, or 6% more year-on-year, announced in an interview for BTA (Bulgarian Telegraph Agency), the Operations Director of the Airport, Nicholay Kabakchiev. The number of serviced aircraft will reach 47,130, or 3.1% more year-on-year. Kabakchiev also stated that the Airport has taken all measures to meet the requirements for Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen Area. For example, the requirements of the Border Police have been fully complied with. At Terminal 1, different gates have been introduced for Schengen passengers and those landing from other countries. Within a few days, the procedure for the expansion of Terminal 2 will be launched. However, a procedure for the separation of the passenger flow will be in effect while construction works are being carried out. Sofia Airport is applying all measures pursuant to the law for the final resolution of the problem with expensive taxis, commented the Operations Director. At the end of November, 6 taxi ranks for companies with contracts with the airport had been moved in close proximity to Terminal 2. Inside the building, there are information posters on the prices of taxi companies, as well as information on the approximate cost of transportation to the centre of Sofia. Next to the new parking place, there will be a new information poster on the estimated taxi fares to major destinations in Sofia. If the amendments to the Road Traffic Act, which will introduce a threshold on the prices for taxi services, come into effect this problem will be solved. The rest is within the powers of the Interior Ministry, added Nicholay Kabakchiev. According to him, the installation of vending machines for drinks and snacks is a measure aimed at using a vacant segment for the supply of these goods at lower prices in terminal buildings. In this way, passengers can now choose where to buy their coffee and sandwiches from - from the machine, at a lower price, or at higher price from the cafes whose tenants pay higher rent. Last month alone, two new stores started operating at Terminal 2. These are the Packaged food goods in the public area and the Shop for books, newspapers and magazines in the area for passengers. In the public zone, the opening of an outlet for Flowers and souvenirs is forthcoming. As of mid-November, a total of 4 automatic web check-in machines have been installed at the airport.
Source: Class (07.12.2010)

Sofia airport is expected to post an increase in passenger numbers and flights at the end of 2010, but its profit is likely to be lower than the figure reported a year earlier, the company's management told Dnevnik on Monday. The airport's bottomline is anticipated to stand at BGN 14 million, operative director Nikolai Kabakchiev told state-run news agency BTA. According to the company, this a decline of BGN 900,000 versus 2009. One of the main reasons behind the contraction in net earnings is the company's losing its monopoly position as the single ground operator in the country, according to the airport's management. Currently, such passenger and aircraft services in Bulgaria are also provided by Swissport and Greek Goldair Handling. The decrease was also attributed to the fact that half of the company's rental income should be transferred directly into the state budget as of July 2010. Under Bulgaria's regulations, 80% of Sofia airport's profit will go straight to the state budget, while the remainder will be used for investment, the company noted without specifying its projects. Meanwhile, the number of flights is expected to outstrip 47,000 for the full 2010, up 3.1% compared with the previous year, while passenger traffic is projected to grow 6% to 3.3 million. The airport's management anticipates to report growth in passenger numbers and flights next year, with the number of serviced airplanes and travellers rising by 2,000 and 200,000, respectively. The company also expects to handle 16,000 tonnes of cargo in 2011.
Source: Dnevnik (07.12.2010)

The number of passengers serviced by Bulgaria's Sofia Airport rose by an annual 8.0% to 229,806 in November, the airport said on Monday. The airport handled 3,832 aircraft last month, up 11.2% on the year, it said in a statement. The number of cargo aircraft movements climbed 17% on the year to some 300 in November when freight and postal shipments totalled 1,548 tonnes. Last year, 3.1 million passengers were serviced by the Sofia airport, 3.0% less than in 2008. Last week Sofia Airport operations director Nikolai Kabakchiev said that passenger traffic is expected to rise by 6.0% to 3,324,000 travelers this year while the number of serviced flights is expected to reach 47,130, or 3.1% more than in 2009.
Source: Standart (14.12.2010)

Airport Sofia Notches a 14-M Profit Airport Sofia will end 2010 at profit of 14M leva, which is among the best financial results of state companies operating in the field of transport. Revenues could have been even bigger, but the previous leadership, which was changed in August, managed the airport inefficiently. In the company reined extravagance quite inappropriate for times of crisis. Fuels, spare parts for machines and consumables were bought at prices three times higher than the current managers supply them. The ticket machines, installed at the airport were bought at very high price, too. Frauds with parking fees deprived the airport of thousands of levs revenue as the money went in someone’s pocket and not in the accounts of the company. The airport could well reap a more modest profit if the management didn’t not stop money leaks. Over 270,000 levs in parking fees have not been paid to the airport budget within six months alone – from May (when ex-CEO Plamen Stanchev appoineted ex-chief of the “Parkings” department till the latter’s layoff in November, 2010.) This is the amount of Terminal 2 losses from unpaid parking fees in comparison with the same period of 2009 when the traffic rate was lower than in 2010. At the same time the revenues were higher. “During the term of office of the person whom I fired, the revenues stood at 726,706 leva, while passenger flow was 2,60 M. In 2009 the passenger flow was 1,888,340, while parking fees grew by 27 percent (up to 997,526 leva,) according to current CEO Asen Tatarchev. After parking frauds were disclosed security cameras were installed at all parking lots. A week later several officers who “missed” to issue parking slips were caught on tape.
Source: Standart (16.12.2010)

British low-cost airline Easyjet has terminated its flights from the Bulgarian capital to Madrid, according to information published on the company's website. Two months earlier, the airline decided to halt serving the Sofia-Milan destination. "We are suspending the Sofia-Madrid at the end of our winter flights schedule. The reason is the shift of opportunities to other markets in Europe, which now offer greater prospects for growth and expansion," Peter Voets, Easyjet's marketing manager for Switzerland, Austria and Eastern Europe, told. The route is currently serviced by national carrier Bulgaria Air and Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air. Nevertheless, Easyjet will continue to serve its flights to London and Manchester.
Source: Dnevnik (12.01.2011)

The number of passengers serviced by Bulgaria's Sofia Airport rose 5.2% to 3,296,936 in 2010, the airport said on Tuesday. Passenger traffic on international routes rose by 6.0%, while passengers on domestic flights increased by 2.0% last year, it said in a statement. The number of flights was up by 3.0% to 47,061 in 2010 while the volume of cargo and postal shipments rose by 200 tonnes to 15,322 tonnes. In December alone, the number of passengers serviced by the Sofia airport rose 1.7% on the year to 252,035, while cargo traffic increased by 2.5% to 1,548 tonnes. Despite the many delays due to dense fog, the number of flights rose by 27 on the year to 3,676 in December. Passenger numbers at the airport fell 3.0% to 3.1 million in 2009.
Source: expert.bg (19.01.2011)

Greek Company to Construct Cargo Terminal at Sofia Airport Greek Goldair Handling Company has shown considerable interest in the possible concession for the construction of a cargo terminal at the Sofia airport. "Sofia Airport lacks a modern cargo terminal, which to handle goods and products transported to third countries through Bulgaria. If a concession for the construction of such a facility is announced, we will consider the conditions, and we may table a bid, as our main business involves the development of passenger and ramp ground handling services,? said Mr. Kallinikos, Executive Vice President of Goldair Handling. Following the Bulgarian government's licensing the Greek company to provide full passenger and ramp ground handling services at the Sofia International Airport, the Bulgarian business of Goldair Handling has invested over ten million euro in different projects over the past six months and has thus become the third operator at the Sofia Airport. This new investment for Sofia International Airport starts up with 12 million Euro and is part of a regional development strategy to countries with the same traffic structure of Greece (i.e., charter and scheduled flights)? Mr. Kallimikos said. In his words, Goldair Handling could attract Greek low-cost air carriers to the Sofia Airport.
Source: Standart (25.01.2011)

EUR 40 M Office Complex, Hilton Garden Inn to Be Built in Sofia A new office complex with a Hilton Garden Inn hotel will be opened in Bulgaria's capital Sofia in the third quarter of 2011, according to reports. About EUR 40 M will be invested in the BLU Offices & Hilton Garden Inn complex. The new office and hotel complex will be located on the Brussels Blvd very close to the Sofia International Airport. The first Hilton Garden Inn-branded hotel in Bulgaria will have 200 rooms. The offices will be located in two 65-meter-high towers (16 storeys each), with a total of 20 000 square meters of office space; the entire complex will have a built-up area of 50 000 square meters. The funding for the investment is provided by Erste Group Immorent (EGI). According to Yani Stoimenov cited as a consultant to the project, the funding is under favorable interest rates, and allows the investors to offer offices at very attractive prices, possibly with zero rent for the first one or two years. In his words, for the next 5-10 years, however, the offices in the complex will cost EUR 8 per square meter per month. The Bulgarian capital Sofia already has a Hilton Hotel, the Hilton Sofia, in its downtown; a Doubletree by Hilton hotel was opened in the Golden Sands resorts in the summer of 2010 to be followed by the Hilton Varna in the summer of 2011. If the new investment in Sofia is realized, the future Hilton Garden Inn will be the fourth Hilton-branded hotel in the country. (DARIK)
Source: investor.bg (01.03.2011)

Bulgaria on Wednesday said it is launching a tender for awarding a 35-year concession on the Gorna Oryahovitsa airport, in the central part of the country. The concessioin aims to increase traffic at the airport located in central Bulgaria, the government said in a statement. The future concessionaire will be expected to invest primarily into the development and the upgrade of the airport's infrastructure, technical facilities and equipment. Gorna Oryahovitsa is a major railway hub located close to Bulgaria's medieval capital of Veliko Tarnovo, a famous tourist attraction. The government's decision is in line with the 2010-2013 development strategy drafted by the transport ministry, under which Bulgaria plans to award concessions on the airports in Ruse, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Stara Zagora, Plovdiv and the cargo terminal of the Sofia Airport.
Source: econ.bg (24.03.2011)

Bulgarian government will today launch the procedure to grant Sofia Airport under concession. The report on intentions of the Ministry of transport is expected to be reviewed at the meeting. Approval of the document may be just the beginning of the procedure, which may take up more than a year. Analyses would be made, conditions for the procedure and requirements to the future candidates would be prepared. Initially the plan was to grant just the cargo terminal, but at a later stage the decision was to put the whole airport for concession. Sofia Airport is the biggest Bulgarian airport with annual passenger traffic of over 3 million people.
Source: Class (06.04.2011)

The number of airline passengers increases by 30% The number of airline passengers increased by 30% in the first quarter of 2011, compared to the same period last year, showed data of eSky.bg, a website for online bookings for regular and low-cost airlines. The company operates in Poland, Romania and Bulgaria. The highest increase in bookings was registered by Bulgarians. Travel agencies also reported a strong growth in airline bookings, the most sought after destinations being Madrid, London, Vienna, Paris, Milan and Budapest. eSKY.bg registered increasing passenger confidence in air transport. Passengers flying Wizzair increased by 30%, those flying Lufthansa by 22%, and the number of Ukrainian airline Aerosvit’s passengers for its Sofia-Kiev flights doubled. The European Commission (EC) approved yesterday a list of airlines banned from operating in the EU. It contains information about all the 269 air carriers licenced in 21 countries. Among these are Afghanistan, Angola, Benin, Congo, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Swaziland, Zambia and others. The black list includes three individual carriers as well: Blue Wing Airlines (Suriname), Meridian Airways (Ghana) and Silverback Cargo Freighters (Rwanda). Ten airlines on the list are allowed to operate in the EU under strict restrictions. Air carriers from Indonesia and the Ukraine were removed from the list.
Source: Class (20.04.2011)

Bulgaria's Sofia Airport will invest 3.2 million levs in improving security and passenger services this year, the transport ministry said. The investment aims to make the airport meet European Union requirements regarding airport security and passenger services, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday. Some 1.5 million levs will go to buy 130 surveillance cameras, to add to the current 320 cameras at Sofia airport’s Terminals 1 and 2. Sofia Airport will also buy 25 metal detector frames worth 700,000 levs and 10 X-Ray devices worth some 1.0 million levs. Last month Transport Minister Alexander Tsvetkov said Bulgaria will launch a tender to award a concession on Sofia Airport. (SeeNews)
Source: Trud (03.05.2011)

The concessioning of Sofia Airport to begin after consultations with the EC The concessioning of Sofia Airport must be coordinated with the EC (European Commission), the EIB and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED), announced Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, Ivaylo Moskovski during his first meeting with media representatives. A consultant business model for Sofia Airport is due to be considered. This is a process which will not be completed within three months, commented Deputy Transport Minister, Kamen Kichev. According to him, the concession of Sofia's Central Railway Station is of higher priority than that of the Sofia Airport. There will be no major change in the Transport Ministry's policy, explained the new Minister. Nevertheless, the reform actions under Operational Programme Transport will be accelerated. Therefore, project management units are being set up at the National Road Infrastructure Agency and the National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC). Moskovski stated that, in the next few years, BDZ and NRIC will mark progress since the pending loan agreement to be signed with the World Bank will accelerate the process. For the first three months of this year, the volume of freight transport increased by 18%. Besides, within a few days, the privatisation consultant for the company will be selected.
Source: Class (25.05.2011)

Wizz Air to restructure its business in Bulgaria; the company will not suspend flights to and from our country “The regional company of the Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air in Bulgaria will become a representative office,” Christian Krastev, Executive Director of the company in Bulgaria, announced to the LiveBiz website. According to the information, that does not mean that flights to and from Bulgaria will be suspended. This is just corporate restructuring. The management of Wizz Air plans to restructure the company in Bulgaria into a small representative office or branch. Currently, the Bulgarian company employs about 140 people. The working positions here will be reduced several times. All taxes, which the company pays in Bulgaria, will be paid in Switzerland because of the corporate policy of Wizz Air, projecting to headquarter the entire financial management of the business in Geneva, specified the website. “Taxes in Bulgaria are low but in Switzerland they are even lower,” commented the expert. The airline currently operates regular flights from Bulgaria to Italy, Belgium, Germany, Poland, France, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Spain, Hungary and the United Kingdom. From 2008 till 2010, the market share of low-cost companies at Sofia Airport increased by almost 10% to 30%.
Source: Class (13.06.2011)

Sofia International Airport registered an 11 per cent increase in passenger traffic in May 2011 compared to the same period last year. About 311 000 passengers were processed in May 2011. The surge in passenger number is part of an ongoing trend. By the end of 2010, Sofia Airport had processed a record number of passengers, a total of 3.3 million people. The increase in passenger traffic in May 2011 applied to both international and internal routes. The number of passengers travelling internationally was 27 500 higher than in 2010. Internal routes registered 30 per cent growth. The general growth in passenger traffic at Sofia Airport is due to the opening of new routes and introduction of new air carriers on the Bulgarian market. Bulgaria Air is the only carrier which has interior regular flights. In 2010, the company increased the number of flights between Sofia and Bourgas.
Source: Dnevnik (22.06.2011)

Sofia Airport has signed a contract under Increase of Economic Competitiveness Operational Programme on the total amount of 47,380 leva as 75% are granted by EU fund for Regional Development and 25% of the project is financed by the company. The goal of the project is to be increased the potential for competitive and effective business at Sofia Airport and thus to stimulate effectiveness and to ensure stable development of the company. As a final result of the project the company is expected to achieve an integrated management system on quality of services and management of environment.
Source: Standart (23.06.2011)

Bulgaria's Transport Ministry has dismissed the executive head of the national railway carrier BDZ, Pencho Popov, appointing Yordan Nedev to replace him. Through the reshuffle, the ministry aims to improve the quality of passenger service, achieve better financial results and accelerate reforms in the company, it said in a statement. Popov was named head of BDZ in 2009 by former Transport Minister Alexander Tsvetkov after sacking Hristo Monov as BDZ chief. Prior to his new role, Nedev worked at consultancy MMD Partners. He started his career at the Bulgarian office of German consultancy Roland Berger, where he was in charge of the privatisation of Bulgarian companies. Nedev has a degree from London Business School and the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration of Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski.
Source: Dnevnik (04.07.2011)

The number of passengers serviced by Bulgaria's Sofia Airport rose by 8.4% in the first half of the year. All passengers were 1.682 million. As much as 70% of all passengers flew on full-service airlines through June. Their number rose 9.0% to over 1.0 million in the period under review. The six low-cost carriers kept their market share of 30% with 472 thousands passengers, which is an increase of 11%. The total number of flights rose by 860 to 23,225 in the first six months of the year while the volume of cargo and postal shipments increased by 7.5% on the year to 7,642 tonnes. In June alone, the number of passengers serviced by the Sofia airport rose 6.0% on the year to 309,792 , while cargo traffic increased by 5.5% to 1,363 tonnes. The number of flights fell by nine to 4,110 in June. Passenger numbers at the airport rose by 5.2% to 3.3 million last year, after falling by 3.0% to 3.1 million in 2009.
Source: Monitor (20.07.2011)

Sofia Airport to set airport charges by itself Sofia Airport will set airport charges by itself and will submit these to the Commission for Consumer Protection which includes representatives of airlines, ground operators and other users of airport services. This is stipulated in the amendments to the Civil Aviation Act which were approved by the Government yesterday. The changes are needed because of the European Directive which imposes common principles for the setting of airport charges in the EU and refers to all airports with an annual traffic of over 5 million passengers and ports with the highest passenger traffic in each EU country. So far, airport charges were determined by the Directorate General Civil Aviation Administration which will continue to set the charges for other airports. According to the amendments, aircraft with maximum take-off weight of up to 2,000 kg, which operate flights of up to 3,000 metres, will now have the obligation to notify only BULATSA (Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority) about the flight. The amendments to the law provide for the transfer of the global electronic systems of BULATSA to airport operators. “The process of giving the airport under concession has not been cancelled but it will continue after a careful analysis and consultations with Brussels, EIB and the Kuwait Fund,” said Minister of Transport Ivaylo Moscovski. Next week, he will fly to Brussels where he will participate in the talks. According to him, the concession will not be granted quickly and at any price.
Source: Class (21.07.2011)

Glavbolgarstroy AD has been chosen in a competitive procedure, to design and build a new control tower of the Sofia Airport, the Transport, IT and Communications Ministry said on Wednesday. The winner of the competitive procedure received the highest technical assessment and guaranteed the fastest completion of construction. The offered price is 14,813,030 BGN, inclusive of VAT. The tower is to be built for less than ten months. The project is fully financed by the Air Traffic Control authority. Second in the competitive procedure emerged Balkanstroy AD, followed by AT Engineering 2000 OOD, and a consortium of Mix-Arnaoudov and Eurobuild-City. The new control tower will be built to the west of the building of Terminal 2. It will have a built-up area of more than 2,400 sq m. "This is the most significant investment project in recent years and it is implemented on a tight schedule that has been laid out in the company's business plan," said Air Traffic Control Authority General Diyan Dinev, quoted in a press release. "The opinion shared by architects, engineers and traffic controllers is that the designs for the new air traffic control tower combine an impressive vision and functionality."
Source: Standart (21.07.2011)

International airlines report a 4.4% increase in passenger flow International airlines reported a growth of 4.4% of transported passengers in June 2011, year-on-year, showed the data of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). According to organisation's statistics, on an annual basis, this was an approximately 10% increase in passenger flow. "The figures are good, showing a growth in demand but the increase is less than the results achieved immediately after the recession," commented experts. This was caused by the delayed recovery and higher costs of airlines due to expensive fuels and the hike in the airport charges in some countries, read the statement of the International Association. European airlines reported an increase of 8.9 % last month over the same period last year, which indicated that they are restoring twice faster, compared to international carriers. Seat occupation reached 80.6%, which means that 4 out of 5 airline seats were occupied. "This is evidence of an increasing efficiency in the operation of the aircraft which, in turn, can lead to a lower cost of services," explained branch representatives. However, the cargo trend in terms of the airlines is negative. The volume of freight transported in June 2011 was 3% lower than in June 2010, showed IATA statistics. According to the data, in May, air cargo shipments reached their peak after the recession. "The number of passengers and the volume of cargo dropped by about 1%, compared to May 2010 which was the peak of the crisis," said Tony Tyler, IATA Director General. According to the experts, there might be a reduction of the expected profits of companies in the sector from $8.8 bn down to $4.4 bn.
Source: Class (29.07.2011)

Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) declared unlawful procurement of Sofia Airport for insurance, which has discriminatory conditions. The competition is for insurance "Liability for damages caused to third parties by owners and operators of airports in Sofia, Plovdiv and Gorna Oryahovitsa." Stake limit of liability is up to USD 300 million in primary coverage and USD 25 million for each event led to the accident. The appeal against the procedure was made by the insurance company UNIQA. According to the company the conditions of the procedure are discriminatory because the requirement of at least three signed contracts for liability insurance for owners and operators of airports and the requirement for an overall premium income of insurance “General liability” not less than BGN 1.4 million in each of the last three years. Verification of the antimonopoly commission has shown that the conditions of Sofia Airport are actually discriminatory and they are met by only several companies.
Source: Dnevnik (09.08.2011)

Sofia Airport registered a monthly slowdown in passenger traffic growth in July. In July 2011 Sofia Airport serviced a total of 336.5 passengers, up by 3% compared to the same month in 2010, according to a media statement of the company. In June 2011, however, the annual increase settled at 6% and the half-year growth came in at 8.4%. In July 2011, passenger traffic at the airport in Bulgaria's capital went up by 8.6% on the month. Over 90% of the people traveled on international flights, while domestic flights accounted for as little as 9.3% of the passenger flow. Despite that, the share of domestic flights keeps rising fast, with a 50% annual increase in the number of people traveling from the capital to Burgas and Varna on the Black Sea coast. At the same time, passengers on international flights went up by 3% on the year. The hikes in passenger traffic on both domestic and international routes are the result of the increased number of flights offered by airline companies. In July 2011 Sofia Airport processed a total of 25 500 passengers traveling within the country, registering a 53% annual increase. The number of people using tourist charter flights fell by 1400. Sofia Airport also reported a slight decrease in take-offs and landings of business aircraft. Cargo traffic also went up in July, reaching a total of 1435 tons, or 11% up from the same month in 2010. Sofia Airport expects to see an increase in passenger flow to 3.5 M by the end of 2011. The state-owned company plans to expand the capacities of the runway and of the two terminals, which can currently handle 4 million people.
Source: Darik Radio (18.08.2011)

The European Commission has given the go-ahead to the Bulgarian Transport Ministry's plan to award a concession to revamp and develop Sofia Airport but insisted that the private investor would need to be vetted by the Commission. The news was announced by Deputy Transport Minister Kamen Kichev at the signing of a contract for the construction of a new control tower at the airport between state-run enterprise Air Traffic Control and local construction firm Glavbolgarstroy. However, it was not clear whether the entire airport or only parts of it will be given under concession. The reason that the airport concession needs approval from Brussels is that the construction of the airport's second passenger terminal was funded in part with 50 million euro from the EU's pre-accession programme ISPA. The terminal's construction was also financed by loans from the European Investment Bank and Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development. The future private investor will have to pay off the loans for Terminal 2. An economic analysis on the benefits of a potential concession is currently underway and the final decision will be made once the analysis is complete. State company Airport Sofia, which is the current manager of the airport, plans to upgrade the existing two terminals and the adjacent infrastructure with its own funds. However, a private investor is needed to build new terminals.
Source: Trud (22.08.2011)

“At mid-2012 we will have one of the most modern and beautiful airport towers in Europe," Air Traffic Services Authority (ATSA) Executive Director Dian Deev said on Friday. He signed a contract on the drafting of a working design and construction of a new tower at the Sofia Airport. On behalf of the contractor, Glavbolgarstroy, the project was signed by its CEO Pavel Kalistratov. Minister of Transport, Information Technologies and Communications Ivailo Moskovski, who attended the signing ceremony, said that the new tower would be a facility of high importance for ATSA and the airport because it is related to the safety and security of flights. Minister Moskovski said that he does not know why the construction of a new tower has been delayed although the idea has emerged already in 2006 adding that the need of such tower is felt particularly strongly after the extension of the airport. The new tower will be constructed for a record short period of time - 10 month only. It will be located west of Terminal 2 as the two buildings will complement each other from an architectural perspective. Its developed area will be 2,400 sq m and its height - 50 m. The facility's term of exploitation is set at 40 years. Kalistratov said that a 1.5 million leva bank guarantee for good performance has been instituted and the insurance policies for quality in favour of the assigning authority have a duration of 20 years.
Source: investor.bg (23.08.2011)

Bulgaria's Cabinet has assigned the management of the future civilian airport at the Black Sea town of Balchik to Sofia International Airport. “Sofia Airport, whose parent organization is the Ministry of Transport, IT and Communications, has sufficient management experience that will guarantee the execution of the project [for Balchik Airport]. This will create an opportunity for Balchik Airport to start accepting civilian flights shortly,” the Bulgarian government said in its announcement Wednesday. The Balchik Airport runway is located 800 m east of the Levski Quarter of the town of Balchik, on a plot of 460 hectares; it is 60 m wide and 2 500 m long, and could be extended north by 3 500 m.
Source: mediapool.bg (25.08.2011)

Fraport Twin Star Airport Management, operator of airports in Varna and Bourgas, is ahead of Sofia Airport by profit for 2010. Sea airports have generated BGN 16.3 million profit while Sofia – BGN 15.3 mln. In 2009 Sofia Airport led by BGN 2.7 million. Higher profit marine airports reached in less revenue, or BGN 79 million in 2010 compared to BGN 91 million revenue for the capital airport. According to passenger flow Sofia is still the leader with 3.3 million passengers served. It is followed by Bourgas with 1.9 million passengers and Varna with 1.2 million. From all international airports those in the worst situation are Plovdiv and Gorna Oryahovitsa which receive state funding of BGN 1.9 million and BGN 700 thousand per year. The airport in Plovdiv collects BGN 3.3 million revenue for 2010 and that in Gorna Oryahovitsa – BGN 776 thousand.
Source: investor.bg (26.08.2011)

The number of passengers serviced by Bulgaria’s Sofia Airport through September rose by an annual 6.6% to some 2.7 million, the airport said on Wednesday. The airport handled 36,142 aircrafts in the January-September period, 2.4% up on the year, it said in a statement. The volume of cargo handled at the airport through September rose by 6.9% year-on-year to 11,539 tonnes. In September alone, passenger’s traffic rose by an annual 6.5% to 330,316, while the number of flights was 0.8% higher from the same month last year. Sofia Airport also said that in the first nine months of 2011 flag carrier Bulgaria Air ranked first in terms of number of passengers flown to and from the airport. Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air came second, followed by the Germany’s Lufthansa. Last year passenger numbers at the airport rose by 5.2% to 3.3 million, after falling by 3.0% to 3.1 million in 2009.
Source: Monitor (20.10.2011)

Bulgaria's Sofia Airport said on Wednesday it handled a total of 1,495 tonnes of cargo in October, up by 4.0% on the month and 11% higher than a year earlier. This is the highest monthly volume of processed cargo since the beginning of the year, the airport said in a statement. The number of passengers serviced by the Sofia Airport in October totalled 283,831, which is close to the levels reached in October 2010. The airport serviced 12,174 passengers on regular international routes in October, which is 16% less year-on-year. The decrease was a result of suspended flights to Varna airport due to repair works. The airport handled 4,073 aircrafts in October, down from 4,250 in the previous year.
Source: Darik Radio (10.11.2011)

Sofia Airport is inspecting the case with the delayed parliamentary delegation “The authorities at Sofia Airport are inspecting why the Bulgarian delegation headed by Chairwoman of Parliament Tsetska Tsacheva remained at the airport instead of taking off on schedule,” said Veselin Peikov, Executive Director of the airport. On Friday, the official Bulgarian delegation to India failed to take off from Sofia Airport at 10.55 hrs to Vienna, where it was expected to be transferred to the fly to Delhi. Peikov explained for Klassa that, currently, the camera records and the access to the control system were being checked. The actions taken by the employees responsible for the delegation are being investigated as well. “The inspection has to be completed within a few days and if it is proven that an employee at the airport has made a mistake, he will be punished. Our legal department will determine the sanction, depending on the degree of the violation,” said Peikov further. "Everyone should understand that, besides Sofia Airport, there are two other ground operators at the airport, on which the servicing of all passengers also depends, including those with special status," noted the Executive Director.
Source: Class (28.11.2011)

Raiffeisenbank Forecast Lower Economic Growth for Bulgaria According to Chief Economist of the Raiffeisenbank Kaloyan Ganev, the bank will correct its prognosis for Bulgaria’s economic growth: instead of 2 percent forecast initially the economy will up by 1,2 percent, Ganev writes in a monthly report. "A potential repetition of the euro zone recession will affect the Bulgarian economy because Bulgaria is highly integrated with this group of countries with respect to its foreign trade and financial system," he explained. "On the one hand, the demand for Bulgarian exports will decline, and this is already evident from the data. On the other hand, the sources of foreign funding are becoming less accessible. This will reduce the growth of crediting, consumption, and investment, which is why we are reducing once again our economic forecast for Bulgaria from 2% to 1.2% growth in 2012," he elaborated.
Source: Standart (09.12.2011)

Sofia Airport will have to pay USD 38 M to the Kuwaiti company which built the runway on Terminal 2, said Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski. "We received a letter saying that the Kuwaiti consortium had won an arbitration in Paris and Sofia Airport would have to pay USD 38 M. This technically deprives the airport of the opportunity to reinvest in in its development," Moskovski stated in a Wednesday interview for Bulgaria On Air The business magazine. The news was later on officially confirmed by the Transport Ministry. Kuwaiti consortium Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi and Sons built the runway on the new terminal. The financing for the project was secured in the form of a loan of around USD 40 M from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development. The site was unveiled behind schedule in August 2006, with the Kuwaiti company demanding USD 20 M in compensation for the delayed obtaining of the construction permit and the unforeseen expenses. The Transport Ministry, which was then headed by Petar Mutafchiev, refused to acknowledge the unforeseen expenses, saying that the consortium had not presented the invoices, and filed a counterclaim with the International Court of Arbitration. The decision of the Paris-based court is final and cannot be appealed.
Source: Class (05.01.2012)

Sofia Airport will have to pay USD 38 M to the Kuwaiti company which built the runway on Terminal 2, said Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski. "We received a letter saying that the Kuwaiti consortium had won an arbitration in Paris and Sofia Airport would have to pay USD 38 M. This technically deprives the airport of the opportunity to reinvest in in its development," Moskovski stated in a Wednesday interview for Bulgaria On Air The business magazine. The sum that Sofia Airport has been sentenced to pay is almost three times greater than its 2010 profit, which amounted to EUR 14 M. Kuwaiti consortium Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi and Sons built the runway on the new terminal. The financing for the project was secured in the form of a loan of around USD 40 M from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development. The site was unveiled behind schedule in August 2006, with the Kuwaiti company demanding USD 20 M in compensation for the delayed obtaining of the construction permit and the unforeseen expenses. The Transport Ministry, which was then headed by Petar Mutafchiev, refused to acknowledge the unforeseen expenses, saying that the consortium had not presented the invoices, and filed a counterclaim with the International Court of Arbitration. The decision of the Paris-based court is final and cannot be appealed.
Source: mediapool.bg (05.01.2012)

The number of passengers serviced by Bulgaria’s Sofia Airport rose by 5.4% to 3.47 million in 2011, the airport said on Thursday. Passenger traffic on regular international routes rose by 6.0%, while passengers flying on domestic flights increased by 16% last year, the airport said in a statement. The volume of cargo and postal shipments rose by 3.7% to 15,887 tonnes in 2011. In December alone, the number of passengers serviced by the Sofia airport rose 3.1% on the year to 259,969 with cargo traffic down by 6.7% to 1,445 tonnes. Passenger numbers at the airport increased by 5.2% to some 3.3 million in 2010. The airport's leading airline, Bulgaria Air, posted a 4.0% increase in passengers on flights to and from Sofia last year. Significant growth rates were posted by Niki (47%), AeroSvit (78%) and Air Malta (80%). Other carriers with robust passenger growth figures for 2011 include Wizz Air (18%), Lufthansa (16%) and Turkish Airlines (16%). The 26 carriers, including six low-cost airlines, that operated out of the Sofia airport last year offered scheduled regular flights to a total of 50 destinations worldwide.
Source: Dnevnik (20.01.2012)

The number of passengers serviced by Bulgaria’s Sofia Airport edged down by an annual 0.9% to 264,225 in January, the airport said on Thursday. The drop was due to lower traffic on domestic routes and slimmer charter flight programmes this winter, the airport said. Passengers on regular international routes increased by 5.0% on the year in January. The volume of cargo shipments remained mostly unchanged at 1,178 tonnes in January. Aircraft movements fell to 3,447 in January 2012 from 3,779 a year earlier.
Source: econ.bg (17.02.2012)

A single concessionaire to manage the Sofia and Balchik Airports "The airports of the Sofia city and the town of Balchik will be granted under a concession package," stated Deputy Transport Minister Kamen Kichev at the opening of the rehabilitated runway at the Varna Airport. According to him, the concessioning of the Sofia Airport will take a longer period. The concession of the airports of Varna and Burgas is a good example of a successful public-private partnership, stated Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski. In fact, the construction of transport infrastructure needs a large amount of funds which the state cannot provide. Therefore, a favourable solution is the setting up of a public-private partnership that leads to a rapid and high quality improvement of the infrastructure, including airports, indicated the Minister. Currently, pre-concession feasibility studies on the Varna rail ferry complex are being implemented, announced Kichev. Moskovski added that at the moment pre-concession analyses of the Port of Varna are being carried out. They will show the scope of the concession and will be followed by the implementation of economic, financial and social analyses. According to the Transport Minister, the concession process threatens in no way the workers at the port and will even create better labour conditions. Nearly BGN 40 mln were invested in the modernisation of the runway at the Varna airport, while the repair itself was completed in 137 days. The funds were invested by the concessionaire of the Varna Airport - Fraport Twin Star Airport Management JSC, which also manages the Port of Burgas. "Next year, two new terminals at the airports of Varna and Burgas will be completed," announced Alexander Zinell, Fraport senior Vice President. According to him, with this investment the funds invested in the infrastructure of both airports will reach BGN 120 mln.
Source: Class (05.03.2012)

Definitely we are going to the option for concession of Sofia Airport, announced the transport minister Ivaylo Moskovski. The reason is that the airport was sentenced to pay 38 million dollars to Kuwaiti Development Fund in connection with unsettled money for the reconstruction of the airport. According to the interest it will be decided whether Sofia Airport will be given on concession together with the airport in Balchik. Concession will be also given for the airport in Plovdiv. Currently concession procedures for the airport in Rousse and Gorna Oryahovitsa are opened, but now according to the minister there is no particular interest because of the crisis.
Source: Darik Radio (12.03.2012)

International airlines expect a 4.2% growth in the number of passengers The international airlines expect an increase of 4.2% in the number of transported passengers, indicate the forecasts of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), posted on the website of the organisation. The expectations are by 0.2% higher than the results, predicted in December last year. In January, the number of transported passengers increased by 2.9 %, compared with the same period in 2011, while the clients using economy class increased by 6.1%. The transported air freight retained its levels from the fourth quarter of 2011 and remained with a relatively low performance. In the second half of the year, IATA expects a mounting increase in the transported air freight. "2012 continues to be a difficult year for the airline companies. The risk of the deepening crisis in the Eurozone has been replaced by the equally dangerous risk coming from the rising fuel prices," commented Tony Tyler, Director General of IATA. In his words, some deterioration have already being felt due to the slump in the industrial profits by $ 3 bn. However, the organisation expects the profits for 2011 to reach $ 7.9 bn, while the preliminary estimates projected proceeds of $ 6.9 bn. This is mainly due to the higher results, reported by the Chinese air carriers. The processed cargo and mail shipments at the Sofia Airport for February this year reached 1, 277 tonnes, which is 14.3% more than last year, according to the statistics of the Sofia Airport. In fact, the transported air freight by cargo airplanes increased by 22%, while the rate of those dispatched by international regular airlines rose by 8%. The data shows that in the second month of 2012, the airport served overall 237,600 passengers, which is by 5, 500 less clients than in February 2011. A positive increase was reported in the number of passengers, who travelled by the regular international airline (2%) and with respect to the business aviation clients (39%). A smaller growth was reported in the number of passengers traveling to Burgas and in the organised tourists, visiting the Bulgarian ski resorts. As of March 25, the Bulgaria Air national carrier will launch direct flights to Prague, which will be operated six times a week, announced the airline. After the completion of the repair and maintenance activities and the opening of a new runway at the Varna Airport, the daily scheduled flights from Sofia to Varna Airport have been restored. Besides, the low-cost Wizz Air company will open a new route from Budapest to Sofia.
Source: Class (22.03.2012)

A debt of BGN 7.2 bn accumulated by state-run companies State-run companies have accumulated a total of BGN 7.2 bn in debt, which is a jeopardy to the stability of the Bulgarian economy, Georgi Angelov, senior economist at the Open Society Institute, pointed out at a discussion called ‘The Economic Situation 2012’. According to him, the liabilities of state-owned firms are a serious obstacle to the development of the country’s economy because most of them hold a dominant position on the domestic market and if these fall into insolvency, the State has to repay debts. Presently, however, the Government has no free resources to operate in such a situation, explained the economist. The National Electric Company (NEK) is the top debtor with aggregate liabilities of BGN 2.17 bn, followed by the National State Railways (BDZ) and the Kozloduy NPP, whose debts amount to BGN 767 mln and BGN 750 mln, respectively. Thus, the liabilities of these three state-run companies alone exceed BGN 3.68 bn. Debts over BGN 0.5 bn have also been accrued by Maritsa Iztok Mines – 2 (BGN 648 mln) and the Sofia Central Heating Utility (BGN 548 mln). The other big debtors with liabilities exceeding BGN 100 mln are: Sofia Airport (BGN 150 mln), Bulgartransgaz (BGN 107 mln), the Sofia Public Transport Company (BGN 164 mln), Port Infrastructure (BGN 175 mln), Maritsa Iztok Mines (BGN 209 mln) Railway Infrastructure (BGN 213 mln) and Bulgargaz (BGN 341 mln). According to Angelov, some financial institutions, such as Municipal Bank PLC and the Bulgarian Development Bank, also have sizable liabilities. However, the structure of banks’ receivables is different and the liabilities of these two financial institutions, amounting to BGN 2.15 bn, are actually reported as attracted funds, specified the economist. According to him, a public register is needed for monitoring these debts. Angelov pointed out that according to data from the end of January 2012, Bulgaria’s aggregate public debt stood at BGN 11.68 bn, out of which BGN 4.92 bn was internal debt. Economists warned that over the next eight or nine months, Bulgaria should repay a total of BGN 3 bn in debt settlement for bonds and deficit. According to Lachezar Bogdanov, Managing Partner at Industry Watch, the Cabinet has to introduce a balanced budget. “Had that happened a year ago, we would not be wondering now how to find BGN 1.6 bn for paying the bonds maturing in January 2013. Bulgaria’s revenues from privatisation are low, its reserves have decreased and it is not clear who will lend us this money,” Bogdanov stated. Dimitar Chobanov, economist and professor at the University of National and World Economy, said that the Government could not raise these funds on the domestic market. A few days ago, the Finance Ministry issued government securities worth BGN 50 mln, but bonds worth only BGN 42 mln were purchased because investors seek higher returns, which the Bulgarian bonds cannot yield. According to Chobanov, seeking financial assistance from the IMF is a realistic option, despite the negative effects which such funding could have. Georgi Angelov also commented on the issue of resorting to the money from the so-called Silver Fund. The decrease of the fiscal reserves from BGN 12 bn in 2008 to BGN 4.5 bn in 2012 is among the main economic problems in Bulgaria. He expressed concern that if money for future payment of pensions was set aside, the fiscal reserve would decrease from BGN 4.5 bn to some BGN 2.5 bn. However, this money cannot be used because of Bulgaria’s commitments to the European Union. Thus, Bulgaria will practically remain without any reserves, the economist pointed out, specifying that such steps would position our country at the bottom in the European Union in terms of amount of reserves.
Source: Class (09.04.2012)

Bulgaria expects BGN 1 bn from 10 concessions in transport“Ten transport infrastructure facilities have been concessioned so far. According to estimates, the State will collect proceeds of over BGN 1 bn from these. Among the concessioned facilities are the two airports in the cities of Varna and Burgas, which are a good example of public-private partnership,” Minister of Transport and Communications Ivaylo Moskovski said on Monday at a forum called Prospects for Development and Investment in Transport, Logistics and Mechanical Engineering in Bulgaria. According to him, the two airports have gathered speed and have actually started to implement their investment programme, including new runways and two terminals that are under construction. “We are preparing procedures for several important facilities which I hope will attract foreign investors. Sofia Airport needs a strategic investor. The aim is to make it a strong regional airport. A number of port terminals - in Burgas, Rousse, Vidin, Lom, Nikopol and Tutrakan – are also being prepared for concessioning,” added Minister Moskovski, specifying that active work was going on on the forthcoming concession of the Varna Port. “We have also launched several procedures for concessioning railway stations. We are currently doing an analysis of Plovdiv Airport and a concession procedure has been opened for the airports in Rousse and Gorna Oryahovitsa,” said Moskovski. The Minister added that all necessary documents have been submitted to the investors from Qatar and they are doing their own analyses and calculations. So far as I know, they are not interested in Balchik Airport alone but in a package of a land plot, an airport, and a possibility for building a marina. Theoretically, we can give them all that. As soon as they tell us exactly what they are interested in, we will do everything possible to meet their investment expectations,” assured Minister Moskovski.(Klassa)
Source: Banker (26.06.2012)

Veselin Peykov, CEO of Sofia Airport, has said that the management of the company will start designing a new terminal at the beginning of 2013. In a Friday interview for the morning broadcast of the Bulgaria on Air TV station, he specified that the project was very much dependent on the development of the airport and the future concession contract. Peykov added that it was still unclear whether Sofia Airport would get a third terminal or have a new terminal built in the place of the existing Terminal 1. He explained that the investment program of the airport provided for the construction of two new taxiing runways and new business ramps, the overall cost of the project estimated at around BGN 30 M. Peykov also noted that the strategy for the development of Sofia Airport included doubling the shopping area and attracting famous brands to the site. "I expect that we shall pass the threshold of 3.5 million passengers this year. In the period January – end-May, around 1.4 million passengers were transported. The figure would have been even better if the airport in Varna had not been closed for repair works," the CEO of Sofia Airport stated. He further informed that postal and cargo shipments had also increased by 5% on an annual basis. "I hope that this result will improve, we have planned for 6%" the CEO of Sofia Airport said. Later on Friday, Sofia Airport's Terminal 2 will host a radio controlled airplane demonstration to mark the 100th anniversary of Bulgarian aviation, the 75th anniversary of Sofia Airport and the 65th anniversary of the first civil flight.
Source: Sega (02.07.2012)

Sofia Airport Serviced 335 000 Passengers in July 2012 Sofia Airport serviced a total of 335 292 passengers in July 2012, the same level as in 2011. In July 2012, passengers traveling to domestic destinations increased by 6%, or 26 933 passengers, according to Sofia Airport's press office. Business travels increased by 31% year on year. A total of 4106 airplanes departed and landed at Sofia Airport in July 2012, down by 213 from the same period in 2011. Despite the stabilization observed in the beginning of 2012, the number of flights is still below the level of 2011. A similar trend is observed at most European airports as a result of the more complicated economic situation and the ongoing restructuring of a number of airline companies. In July 2012, Sofia Airport processed 1441 tons of cargo and postal shipments, as compared to 1435 tons in July 2011. Air shipments carried on specialized cargo aircraft increased by 24% over the period.
Source: Darik Radio (17.08.2012)

A total of 13 wanted people caught by the electronic counters at Sofia Airport A total of 13 wanted people were caught by the new electronic border control system at Terminal 2 of Sofia Airport just within its trial period, Biser Kostadinov, Head of Chief Directorate Border Police, announced on Tuesday in the presence of the Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov. Since the beginning of July, some 8,000 people have passed through the counters during the initial trial period and their actual operation. The four counters were made within 87 days by Atos – Bulgaria, the company which had won the public procurement tender, invited by the Interior Ministry. The equipment worth BGN 572,000 was financed by the EU fund External Borders. Passing through these counters is only for adults but not for youngsters with ID cards because anthropological data changes when a person comes of age and the camcorder does not recognise it. The new electronic border control system applies to flights within the entire European Union, the Schengen Area and Switzerland. Passing through the counters is very fast because the system checks the ID card and, if it is not fake and meets all the requirements, the doors open. Then, the camcorder captures the passenger in order to prevent the use of someone else’s ID. The system has an internal database of the Bulgarian Interior Ministry and of the Schengen Information System, and does not allow through anyone with a fake ID document. A procedure worth BGN 38 mln is currently underway for the construction of an integrated Green Border system 100 km from the Bulgarian-Turkish border. On September 4, some 58 km of the integrated Green Border system will be officially opened.
Source: Class (29.08.2012)

Ministry of transport will seek private capital for Sofia airport. This is imperative because the new passengers’ terminal soon will reach its full capacity. Expansions of part of the equipment will be necessary then. Each year passengers of the airport increase by 5%. The old airport building can serve 1.5 million people a year, and the new - 2.5 million of the total - 4 million. This year the management of the state company expects its passengers to reach 3.5 million. Since the beginning of August a procedure for selection of a contractor for architectural and engineering services has been opened. The ccontract with an estimated value of BGN 1.8 million concerns development of investment projects for new taxiways (one to provide faster download of the track and the other -for an early exit of the track) and for extension of the platform to improve services for business aviation. Plans of Sofia Airport provides for the delivery of new ground to support equipment (both passengers and baggage).
Source: Capital (20.09.2012)

New airport’s tower Similar device is being constructed for the first time in Bulgaria. 40 years is the term for exploitation. The built-up area of the project is 680 square meters, and the total - more than 2,480 square meters. It is 50 meters high. The tower is assessed to about BGN 14.5 million. Bank warrant for good performance is to the amount of 15%, equal to BGN 1.851 million. Glavbolgarstroy AD is a contractor. The tower is situated to the west from Terminal 2’s building. From architectural point of view the two buildings complement each other. The new one is unique with its function and performance, though it is not luxurious. The only extra contracting authority took the liberty to make is a granite flooring in the lobby. The building has technical functions, though it is an architectural achievement. The site in Sofia is vertical, which does not let lots of builders to work at the same time. Construction of the tower began last year. A separate service lane with a width of 4 meters is located around it. The building represent a composition, composed of three parts- single floor body (base), a tower with a trunk and a head, and is situated in the northern part of the plot. Construction is mixed- reinforced concrete and steel-pipe. At the same time the tower has good facade lighting. The parking has 18 indoors parking lots.
Source: Other (28.09.2012)

European and US Companies Compete for Sofia Airport Concession Companies from Canada, Germany, Switzerland and Turkey show serious interest in the future procedure for concession grant for Sofia Airport, the Standart learnt. Well-informed sources comment that there is also interest from companies based in the USA and France. "The procedure for concession grant for Sofia Airport will be declared by the end of the mandate of the GERB cabinet," Bulgaria's minister of transport Ivailov Moskovski confirmed in an interview for the Standart. A consultant on the concession has already been selected and it now makes the financial and technical feasibility analysis which will decide if Sofia airport will be granted on a concession by itself or in a package with the former military airport near the town of Balchik.
Source: Standart (04.10.2012)

Bulgaria's Sofia Airport is to demolish its old Terminal 1, seeking to construct a new terminal on the same location in five years, Sofia Airport CEO Veselin Peykov has announced. Peykov has told the Bulgarian National Television that constructing a new terminal in the place of the old one would save money. Noting that Terminal 1 has serviced tens of millions of passengers since it was opened in 1937, Peykov has explained that "times are different now" and a more modern terminal is necessary. He revealed that the new terminal would have the capacity to service some 5 million passengers per year, or twice as many as the airport's other existing terminal, Terminal 2. The new terminal is expected to have 16 to 18 passenger boarding bridges and a parking lot consisting of several levels. The Sofia Airport should be offered on concession, Peykov has also stated. "We may even consider privatizing the whole airport. Private-owned airports exist in many places in Europe and around the world," the CEO has pointed out.
Source: Capital (29.10.2012)

A new facility for servicing aircraft by Lufthansa Technik was inaugurated Sunday at Bulgaria's main international airport, located in capital Sofia. The new repair unit will give work to some 600 workers and will be able to perform about 60 major plane repairs per annum. Lufthansa's new Sofia Airport facility has a capacity for performing 6 simultaneous aircraft repairs. In recent years, Lufhansa Technik, which has created a daughter company in Bulgaria, has doubled its operations in Sofia. Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov and Minister of Transport Ivaylo Moskovski were present at the official ceremony.
Source: Novinar (29.10.2012)

Sofia Airport Finally Gets New ATC Tower The construction of a new air traffic control tower at Sofia airport has finally been completed, its official inauguration due on Wednesday. The new air traffic control tower is located at Terminal 2 and will be put into operations right after its official opening on Wednesday, taking over the duties of the airport older tower at Terminal 1. The new tower is 50m high and according to plans it should be kept functional for the next 40 years. The cost of its construction totaled BGN 15 M. Construction company Glavbolgarstroy secured a contract from the Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority (BULATSA) for the preliminary design and construction of a new control tower at Sofia Airport in the summer last year
Source: econ.bg (05.12.2012)

Sofia Airport registered a two-fold increase in passengers traveling to domestic destinations in November 2012. In November 2012, a total of 12 517 passengers flew to the Black Sea cities of Varna and Burgas, compared to 5985 passengers in November 2011, while over 218 000 passengers flew on regular international routes. The highest increases in transported passengers were registered by airliners Bulgaria Air, Australian Airlines, Turkish Airlines, NIKI, British Airways, Air France, and LOT. In November 2012, Sofia Airport serviced a total of 234 168 arrival and departure passengers, at the same level as in November 2011. In November 2012, Sofia Airport processed 1488 tonnes of cargo and postal shipments, up by 5.6% from November 2011 due to the 17% increase registered by integrated cargo carriers. In November 2012, Sofia Airport registered an increase in flights to domestic destinations (up by 24%), charter flights, and cargo flights. In November 2012, the number of flights to international regular routes decreased by 14% from November 2011.
Source: Monitor (13.12.2012)

Vueling Airlines to Fly Sofia - Barcelona in Summer 2013 Spain's low-cost Vueling Airlines SA is about to launch flights between Sofia and Barcelona The carrier will serve the flights twice a week - on Mondays and Thursdays from Sofia and on Sundays and Wednesdays from Barcelona, with the first due in July. Last month it emerged that Bulgaria's capital Sofia is one of three new destinations featuring on low-cost airline Easyjet's new schedule from Stansted next year. The carrier will serve the flights to Sofia twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with the first due on February 16. The budget airline will also add year-round flights to Egypt and Morocco. The carrier will also launch a new Berlin-Sofia flight in its summer program in 2013. It will operate year-round flight four times a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday) from Sofia Airport to Berlin-Schonefeld Airport. EasyJet, which is considered to be the second-biggest low fare airline company after Ryanair, stepped on the Bulgarian market in November 2007 with low-cost flights to London Gatwick three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Source: Capital (18.12.2012)

Chimimport JSC wants to get into business with duty-free trade. This emerges from a message to the Commission for Protection of Competition, in which Bulgarian Airways Group, part of the holding, announces that together with Switzerland-based Nuance Group creates a joint venture Nuance BG. Bulgarian regulator, however, for the first time in its history considers that it should not speak on whether the joint venture constitutes a concentration, and if so, whether it threatens to affect significantly competition in a local market. The reason is that the speed of both companies and associated companies exceed certain thresholds and transaction acquires so called community dimension and must be approved at European level. Swiss company specialized in the operation of duty free shops at airports and boutiques. The company website shows it operates in 17 countries and its products are available on board the aircraft. Nuance BG was established in September as its capital will reach BGN 2 million, and the Swiss company and Bulgarian Airways Group shall have equal shares.
Source: Capital (04.01.2013)

Sofia Airport sentenced to pay $38 mln to a Kuwaiti company Sofia Airport must pay the Kuwaiti company Mohammed Abdulmohsim Al-Harafi and Sons $38 mln, the Paris Court of Arbitration ruled. The company built one of the airport’s runways. The money for this was provided by the Kuwait Development Fund. Upon the completion of construction, however, the contractor filed a claim against Sofia Airport for delaying the building permits, raising the cost of the work and outstanding payments. The Transport Ministry then stated that the Kuwaiti company had not presented invoices for its extra costs and these were, therefore, not paid. Ultimately, however, the Paris Court of Arbitration ruled in favour of the Kuwaiti side. The airport assured that the dispute with the Kuwaiti company is private and the airport is capable of paying the indemnity. However, the airport’s CEO Veselin Peykov explained to investor.bg that he will wait with the payment. “We will wait for the ruling of the Bulgarian court. It seems to me that there are some blunders in the decision of the Paris Court of Arbitration, which should be reconsidered,” he stated.
Source: Class (07.01.2013)

FlyNiki Suspends Sofia Flights as of Jan 28 As the brand of Austrian-based low-cost carrier FlyNiki is disappearing, the company has announced it is about to stop flying Sofia-Vienna. The airline will carry out its last flight from Sofia airport to Vienna on January 27, at 5.55 pm. On the very next day an Air Berlin plane will take off Berlin's Tegel Airport to land at Sofia new terminal at 6.30 pm. The flights to the German capital will be serviced seven times a week, replacing FlyNiki's eighteen flights per week to Vienna. FlyNiki airline has been owned by Air Berlin since 8 November 2011 and has 650 people working for them of which around 90% are employed through Labourpool Gmbh, a personnel leasing company. By November 2011 NIKI was already offering three Sofia-Vienna and three Vienna-Sofia flights daily, which, according to the company, were at more convenient hours for both tourists and business travelers. Flyniki started flying to Sofia in February, 2010. From Vienna passengers could switch to other destinations – including Munich, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Paris and Zurich - benefiting from the network of FlyNiki and its partner Air Berlin. FlyNiki was an airline owned and run by Niki Lauda. After being ousted from Lauda Air by boardroom politics in November 2000, in late 2003 Niki Lauda bought some planes from a German airline that had gone bankrupt and started FlyNiki. It operated as a budget airline mainly from Germany and Austria. At the beginning of 2013 FlyNiki founder Niki Lauda left the Air Berlin board to devote more time to his role as chairman of the Mercedes Formula 1 team. Industry veteran and former British Midland International CEO Austin Reid succeeded Lauda as of January 2013.
Source: Capital (09.01.2013)

Germany’s Lufthansa Technik plans to increase its investments in Bulgaria, focusing on new equipment and expansion of its hangars at the Sofia airport, the country’s transport ministry said on Monday. Lufthansa Technik operates in Bulgaria through Lufthansa Technik Sofia, a joint venture with Bulgaria Air's owner Bulgarian Aviation Group. The Bulgarian company holds 20% in the joint venture, whereas the German company controls 80%. Lufthansa Technik plans to concentrate a big share of its European activities in Bulgaria, the ministry said in a statement. The press offices of the ministry and Lufthansa Technik Sofia could not provide information on the size of the planned investments when contacted by SeeNews. Lufthansa Technik Sofia has invested over 40 million euro ($29.7 million) in Bulgaria in the past five years. At the end of last year, the company completed the expansion of its hangars at the Sofia airport, under a project worth 20 million euro. The expansion allowed Lufthansa Technik Sofia to service six airplanes simultaneously and to carry out 60 heavy checks per year, providing jobs for 600 people. The ministry said that thanks to the new investment, Lufthansa Technik’s employees in Bulgaria will reach 800.
Source: Dnevnik (29.01.2013)

Sofia Airport to Be Expanded Bulgaria's Minister of Transport Ivailo Moskovski will open the groundbreaking ceremony at Terminal 2 of Sofia Airport. The project is worth BGN 2 M, VAT excluded, and will be implemented by AT Engineering 2000. The expansion has been necessitated by the growing flow of passengers who have to be served more efficiently. After the reconstruction the passenger flow will be divided in two groups – those traveling within the Schengen area and beyond it. The expansion will enhance the capacity of the airport and enlarge its trade areas. The small VIP hall will also be renovated by end-year. Business salons in Terminal 2 will be overhauled and two new taxiways will be built.
Source: Standart (12.02.2013)

Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski has announced that a sum of nearly BGN 2 M will be invested in the expansion of Sofia Airport. Speaking Tuesday at the sod-turning ceremony, Moskovski noted that the project for the expansion of the airport met all Schengen requirements. He informed that the project had a price tag of BGN 1 947 557, VAT excluded, and would be implemented by AT Engineering 2000, which had been selected through a public procurement procedure. Moskovski, as cited by the Focus news agency, commented that the reconstruction and expansion of the passenger gallery of Sofia Airport's Terminal 2 was driven by the constantly growing number of passengers and the need for better and faster service. The expansion of the passenger gallery at Terminal 2 of the Sofia Airport is to boost its capacity, servicing 200 000 passengers more a year. In four months' time, Sofia Airport is to be equipped with 4 new exits, 3 for departure passengers and one for baggage claim. The project also envisages the construction of cafes, shops, and restaurants. "Over the past few years, large airports in Bulgaria have been developing at a very good pace. A new control tower was opened at Sofia Airport, as well as a renovated runway at the Varna Airport, and the new terminals at the airports in Burgas and Varna will be opened in a few months' time," Moskovski stated. He said that the willingness of aviation giant Lufthansa Technik to concentrate a large part of its activities in Europe in Bulgaria was a good illustration of the development of the sector.
Source: Capital (13.02.2013)

The expansion of Sofia Airport to cost about BGN 2 mln The expansion of the airport is being carried out according to all Schengen requirements, Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski said on the occasion of the groundbreaking of the Terminal 2 project at Sofia Airport, Focus News Agency reported. The project is worth nearly BGN 2 mln (1,947,557 VAT excluded) and the public procurement selected AT Engineering 2000 for its construction. Reconstruction and expansion of the gallery at Terminal 2 of Sofia Airport are needed because of the growing number of passengers and need for better and faster servicing. A platform for business aviation is also planned to be created behind the Government platform of Terminal 2, Sofia Airport's CEO Veselin Peykov announced. "I hope that, in a few weeks, the selection of the company that will implement the projects will be completed," he said, adding that this would bring revenues to the airport. According to estimates, a new business terminal will not be justified and will be paid off no earlier than 15 years, at least, therefore the VIP part of the current Terminal 2 will be used. "We want to make new arms and implement a docking system that will guide planes so that these could park on their own," said Peykov. Peykov said that no new extensions to Terminal 2 can be built because of the tower and the construction of the underground. According to Peykov, the project for the underground is very beautiful. He noted that the market share of Sofia Airport's ground handling services will reach 65% - 68% due to one of the biggest air carriers which the operator managed to win.
Source: Class (13.02.2013)

Citigroup will arrange the refinancing of NEC's loan to BNP Paribas. This became clear from the notice of the Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH). International Bank will first need to provide up to 21 May short-term loan of 195 million euro, and then it has to sell bonds to 250 million euro. No information on when the contract will be signed, but probably only a matter of days. It is almost certain that the state holding company will be able to fit in time to the maturing loan which energy company drew for "Belene" project. Besides Citigroup offers in the competition for bonds, which was announced on March 7, filed several banks - Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan (in consortium with First FBH), HSBC, Societe Generale and Goldman Sachs.
Source: Capital (23.04.2013)

New logistics areas attached to the airport Vast undeveloped areas located near the Sofia’s airport could become a modern logistics, transport and office complex. The reason why at present they are no object of investors; interest is due to lack of infrastructure in the region. The region around the airport, as well as that located around the 4th kilometer is included in the so called Zones of economic potential.
Source: Construction City (20.05.2013)

Sofia Airport April passenger traffic falls 5.0% y/y, cargo throughput up 20% y/y Passenger traffic via Bulgaria’s Sofia Airport in April fell by 5.0% year-to-year to 277,207, whereas cargo throughput increased by an annual 20% to 1,537 tonnes, the airport said on Tuesday. The drop in passenger numbers was mostly due to the suspension of Aerosvit and NIKI's flights to Sofia in the beginning of 2013, the airport said in a statement. The air carrier to see the sharpest annual growth in passenger numbers in April was low-cost easyJet, which recently launched direct flights from the London-Stansted and Berlin-Schonefeld airports to the Bulgarian capital. Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, Alitalia, Air Malta and Tarom too registered an increase in the number of passengers on their flights to and from Sofia. The increase in cargo traffic comes on the back of a 33% rise in cargo handled by integrated cargo carriers and 8.0% bigger volumes of cargo transported by regular international operators.
Source: econ.bg (05.06.2013)

Papazov: Of the 6 options to save BDZ Freight Services, two are privatization Railways are the first and most important thing to pay attention now, said Minister of Transport and Communications Daniel Papazov. According to him, there are six options for the future of the company, and four of them provide preservation of Freight Services, while two are privatization. These include options to swap debt for ownership of NRIC (which is one of the largest creditors of BDZ). Measures are provided for renegotiation of loans, increased freight and increase the comfort level of passenger transport. Asked whether changes in the management of BDZ and NRIC is considered, Papazov said such are probably going to happen at the infrastructure operator, but they are unlikely to be significant. He added that at this stage he trusted CEO of BDZ Chavdar Trendafilov, as well as the heads of BDZ Passenger Services and BDZ Freight Services.
Source: money.bg (10.06.2013)

Sofia Airport Registers 1.8% Y/Y Increase in Serviced Passengers in May In May 2013, Sofia Airport serviced a total of 316 975 passengers, up by 1.8% on the year, according to statistics of the company. The number of passengers who traveled to international destinations went up by 3% year on year, according to a media statement of Sofia Airport, as cited by dnevnik.bg. The largest number of passengers were carried by easyJet (up by 57%), Bulgaria Air (up by 7%), and Turkish Airlines (up by 8%). Airliners Wizz Air, Alitalia, Air Malta, El Al, and Aeroflot also registered increases in the number of passengers. In May 2013, the number of passengers who flew on tourist charter flights went up by 8%. In May 2013, the Bulgarian Air Charter company registered a threefold year-on-year increase in the number of Bulgarian passengers carried, reaching a total of 2900. The upward trend was mostly due to the accumulation of days off in early May, the top destinations being Sicily's Palermo and the Greek islands of Santorini and Zakynthos. In May 2013, international charter airliners registered an 18% year-on-year increase in the number of serviced passengers. The number of passengers traveling to domestic destinations fell by 11% to 15 815. The number of airplanes which departed and landed at Sofia Airport decreased by 9.5% to 3663, compared to 3934 in May 2012. The largest decrease was registered in the number of flights to domestic destinations. Meanwhile, the decrease in flights to international destinations was partially offset by the increased frequency of flights of Bulgaria Air and by the two new flights of easyJet from Sofia to London's Stanstead and Berlin's Schoenefeld. In May 2013, the number of charter flights went up by 10%, while business flights increased by 5%. Bulgaria Air, Turkish Airlines and Sunexpress will operate summer charter flights to Antalya, while two other Turkish airline companies - Pegasus and Onur Air, will transport Bulgarian tourists to Bodrum. The total volume of processed cargo and postal shipments in May 2013 amounted to 1440 tonnes, at the same level as May 2012. In the summer of 2013, Sofia Airport will resume direct flights to Budapest and Kiev, which were halted when the airlines operating the flights went bankrupt. Starting end-June, Bulgaria will fly to Budapest four times a week, while Wizz Air will carry out flights to Kiev three times a week. Spanish low-cost Vueling will set foot on the Bulgarian market with regular flights Barcelona – Sofia.
Source: Dnevnik (11.06.2013)

Sofia Airport CEO Resigns Veselin Peykov, CEO of Sofia Airport, has resigned. Peykov, who was appointed CEO of Sofia Airport on July 1, 2011, explained Friday that he had made a personal decision to tender his resignation and had presented it to Transport Minister Danail Papazov, according to reports of the Bulgarian National Television (BNT). Hristo Shteriyonov, head of a directorate at Sofia Airport, will succeed Peykov as CEO. According to unconfirmed reports of 24 Hours daily, Peykov will replace Shteriyonov as head of a directorate at Sofia Airport.
Source: econ.bg (01.07.2013)

Sofia Airport H1 2013 passenger numbers edge down 1% The number of passengers serviced by Sofia Airport slipped by an annual 1% to 1,679,000 in the first half of 2012, the airport said on Monday. The number of passengers on regular international routes stayed flat at 1.5 million, while passengers on domestic flights from Sofia to the Black Sea port cities of Varna and Burgas dropped by 7% through June to 77,000, the airport said in a statement. Aircraft movements fell by 9.6% to 19,700 in the period under review. The airport registered an annual increase of 7.5% in the volume of cargo and postal shipments to 8,587 tonnes in the first six months of 2013. In June alone, the number of passengers serviced by Sofia Airport decreased by 2.6% to 308,500, while cargo volume went up by 4,7% to 1,460 tonnes. Germany’s second biggest airline Air Berlin and low cost Vueling launched in the first half their first flights from Sofia Airport with destinations Berlin and Barcelona, respectively. The most popular destinations in the January – June period were London, Vienna, Milan, Moscow and Paris.
Source: Capital (23.07.2013)

Sofia Airport EAD Accused of Abusing Dominant Position Bulgaria's Commission for Protection of Competition (KZK) has issued a Statement of Objection against Sofia Airport EAD for breaching Art. 21, Para. 1 of the Competition Protection Act by abusing its dominant position through a policy of imposing unjustifiably low prices on the market of ground handling services. "Sofia Airport EAD is a company with a dominant position on the market of ground handling services at Sofia Airport. A survey indicated that from early 2011 until now, the price offered by the company to carriers fails to cover the cost of the production of the service in a long-term period, taking into account that a downward trend and an overall cost reduction was observed," the competition watchdog says in a statement. KZK informs that its survey indicates that Sofia Airport EAD is offering ground handling services at prices which do not correspond to the costs, adding that, "contrary to all economic logic," the company is sacrificing profits which it could make if it adopted "normal competitive behavior." "The fact that the company offered services at prices below costs in 2011 and 2012 indicates that the pricing policy applied by Sofia Airport could lead to an unjustified increase in prices and to diminishing the quality of services on offer," KZK states, adding that the company has 45 days to present its objections in writing.
Source: Capital (24.07.2013)

CPC establishes Sofia Airport monopoly Sofia Airport is in a dominant position in the aircraft ground-handling services, the Commission on Protection of Competition (CPC) found after it examined a complaint of "Swiss port" Since the beginning of 2011, the price the airport offers for its services to the airlines does not cover the costs of the same services. Contrary to economic logic, prices are reduced to a level which brings only loss, the decision established. The airport has 45 days to respond.
Source: Standart (24.07.2013)

Varna airport with a new passengers’ terminal The new passengers’ terminal of Varna airport is to be opened on Thursday. This was announced by the company concessionaire of the two Black sea airports Fraport Twin Star Airport Management. Total value of the investment in the terminal and surrounding infrastucture is assessed at over BGN 75 million. After the terminal is opened, all flights will be serviced there. The new terminal is three times bigger as compared to the present one. It can service 1037 passengers per hour. The terminal is designed by an English architect in collaboration with Bulgarian bureau Pascall & Watson architects, as well as SevantElbul. The construction was completed in 20 months’ time. Construction of the new terminal is part of the concessionaire’s investment program. Fraport Twin Star Airport Management won the concession competition for a term of 35 year back in 2006.
Source: Capital (14.08.2013)

Swissport wins ground-handling deal from Bulgaria Air Swissport has won a ground-handling deal from Bulgarian flag carrier Bulgaria Air, Swissport Bulgaria’s COO told SeeNews on Tuesday. Swissport has been providing ground-handling services to Bulgaria Air, including luggage, passengers and aircraft services, since October 7, Roumen Ganev said. Previously, Bulgaria Air had a ground-handling contract with Sofia Airport. At the beginning of the year, Sofia Airport won a ground-handling contract from Swissport's former client, Hungarian low-cost carrier WizzAir. Swissport started operations in Sofia in 2007. It has been a cargo operator since 2011. Its clients include Brazilian Air Force, UAE-based Sky Aviation Services and British low-cost carrier Flybe.
Source: Capital (22.10.2013)

Kuwaiti company sues Sofia Airport for BGN 58.5 million The case for the recognition of the BGN 58.5 million debt of Sofia Airport to Kuwaiti company MAK / ADMAK (Mohammed Abdulmohsim Al-Harafi & Sons) enters the Sofia City Court, Standart daily reports. The court should legalize the decision by the Paris tribunal of July 2012. 16 months ago, the arbitration with the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris condemned Sofia Airport in an action brought in 2007 by MAK / ADMAK in relation its role as executor of the contract for the construction of the new runway system. MAK / ADMAK won the contract to build a new runway at Sofia Airport after heavy international tender in March 2003. The project was financed by a 12.3 million loan of Kuwaiti dinars (USD 40 million at the time) by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development. Construction has been delayed more than a year and was finished at the end of August 2006. The Kuwaiti contractor brought an action against Sofia Airport due to its delay building permit . The airport , in turn, submitted claims. Despite the expensive lawyers, Sofia Airport lost the case. According to lawyers exequatur procedure will be completed as early as September 2014
Source: Standart (15.11.2013)

BEH transferred dividend to the state Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) transferred the dividend due to the state, after which the plan on this item is overflowing over 100%. In a special account of the National Revenue Agency and BNB have been imported BGN 423.4 million at provided BGN 333.1 million in the Act on the State Budget. By the end of the year there are more transfers expected, said the Ministry of Finance. The sum here is the result of deductions from profits made by 86 companies in which the state is a shareholder. Largest donor is the energy holding, which transferred BGN 205.8 million, or nearly half of the sum. The company had to fulfill its commitment to the budget in July, but because of demonstrated financial problems it given a delay.
Source: Capital (20.11.2013)

Sofia airport Oct passenger numbers rise 4.4% The number of passengers serviced at the Sofia airport in October rose 4.4% on the year to 297,775, the airport operator said on Tuesday. The number of international passengers increased by 5.2% on the year to 276,153 last month while domestic passengers decreased by 2,300 to 14,081, the airport operator said in a statement. EasyJet and Qatar Airways recorded a growth of 50% each in passengers serviced at the Sofia airport in October. Bulgaria Air, Turkish Airlines, El Al, LOT and Air Malta also posted double-digit increases. Aircraft movements in October fell by an annual 4.6% to 3,643. In the winter season, the number of flights from Sofia to Frankfurt, Bucharest, Istanbul, Doha, London, Rome and Milan will increase. A Sofia-Dubai route is also on offer from the 2013/14 winter season.
Source: investor.bg (20.11.2013)

Higher security fees at Sofia Airport Passengers of Sofia Airport will have to pay higher security fees: from October 1 they jumped from EUR 1 to EUR 8 per each departing passenger and from April 1 they will further increase to EUR 10.20, Standart daily reports. The increase has been planned and coordinated with the airlines a long time ago, Sofia Airport CEO Hristo Shterionov informed. At the request of the airlines, claiming that they already have pre-sold tickets, the increase was even proposed as is introduced gradually. This means in practice that upon taking over security controls from the state, Sofia Airport had to self-finance the upgrading of the process, including the purchase of equipment and the appointment of more than 500 employees, Shterionov explained. The increase of the security fee only applies to Terminal 2. At Terminal 1, which is mainly serving low cost airlines, it will stay at its current level of EUR 6 per departing passenger.
Source: Standart (25.11.2013)

Chimimport cooperates with Swissport on Sofia airport Chimimport’s aviation department Bulgarian airways group enters business with ground handling of aircrafts at Sofia Airport. The company, which is part of Bulgaria Air bought minority shares in one of ground operators on the airport Swissport Bulgaria. The company is based in Switzerland and has operated on Sofia airport from 2007. The mother company has extensive experience in servicing air carriers and works in over 190 airports worldwide. In Bulgaria, though its activity has not been so prospering lately. It has lost most of its customers. Thus cooperation with a local player is a way for Swissport to regain its market positions. Under the procedure opinion on concentration in the deal is expected by anti-monopoly authority of the European commission. Swissport plans to keeps its majority stake in its Bulgarian subsidiary.
Source: Capital (04.12.2013)

Sofia Airport Terminal 2 Expansion Put Into Operation The expansion of the passenger gallery at Terminal 2 of Sofia International Airport was put into operation Tuesday. The Sofia Airport is now equipped with 3 new exits and 3 entrances, thus boosting its capacity by 200,000 more passengers served per year. Schengen and Non-Schengen passengers will enter through different corridors, as required by the EU Commission. The investment is worth more than BGN 2 M, Bulgarian TV channel bTV informed. According to Transport Minister Danail Papazov, who attended the airport opening ceremony, it is still undetermined whether Sofia Airport would be operated as a concession or its expansion and modernization would rely on EU funds. "Some of the analyses of the Transport Operational Program are not yet finished. Based on them, we will decide whether the airport will be available for concession or not," Minister Papazov added Tuesday. Sofia International Airport reports 10% more passengers in November 2013 compared to Nov. 2012. An increase in chartered flights is expected during the winter season.
Source: National television (11.12.2013)

Air Serbia Announces Routes to Bulgaria's Sofia, Varnà Serbian airline carrier Air Serbia has announced that will launch regular direct flights from Belgrade to the Bulgarian cities of Sofia and Varna on March 30. Air Serbia General Manager Dane Kondic has revealed that flights from Belgrade to Beirut and Budapest will be also launched on March 30. Air Serbia will introduce flights to Kiev and Warsaw on May 29th, Kondic said, according to InSerbia. With the new lines, Serbian air carrier will fly to a total of 35 destinations.
Source: Capital (15.01.2014)

Bulgarian Posts face loss of BGN 15 million in 2013: minister Bulgarian Posts faced a loss of BGN 15 million in 2013 if the subsidy is not taken into consideration. Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Danail Papazov announced the news at a press conference, FOCUS News Agency reported. BGN 223 million were invested in the National Railway Infrastructure Company in 2013 and BGN 16 million - in Varna Port. Sofia Airport made a profit of BGN 12.7 million last year and Varna Port handled 10.8 million tonnes of cargo, which is a record high since it opened.
Source: Agency Focus (17.01.2014)

Bulgaria's transport min says Varna, Burgas port operators beat forecasts for 2013 The state-owned operators of the ports of Varna and Burgas on the Black Sea coast have beaten forecasts for 2013, the country's transport ministry said on Thursday. The port of Varna’s 2013 profit is seen at BGN 4.8 million, which is 90% above plans and 16% above the 2012 figures, the ministry said in a press release. The port of Varna handled 11 million tonnes of cargo in 2013, which is a record level for the past few years, according the the press release. Meanwhile, the port of Burgas’ estimate net profit of BGN 3.5 million is also well above the previous expectations of BGN 510,000 in earnings, the ministry said. The port operator posted BGN 20.6 million in revenue, up 5.3% on forecasts. Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company’s profit for 2013 amounted to BGN 18 million on an estimate revenue of BGN 73 million, the ministry said, without providing comparative figures. The company invested a total of BGN 12 million in 2013, up by over BGN 2.0 million from a year earlier. On the other hand, the cargo handled at the port of Ruse on the Danube river last year decreased 20.5% year-on-year to 595,000 tonnes, the transport ministry added, without providing information on the financial results.
Source: mediapool.bg (17.01.2014)

The number of passengers traveling through Sofia Airport in January has increased by 6.5%. The international flights posted an 8% growth, while the passengers on domestic flights were by 2,300 people less. The boost is mainly due to the increased frequency of the flights of certain airlines to and from Sofia. The number of passengers in the winter chartered flights has decreased by 2,800. The regular international flights are 77% of the traffic of Sofia Airport. In January the national flag carrier Bulgaria Air posted an increase of 12% and the international airlines grew by 6% year-on-year. The freights, processed at the Sofia airport last month also increased by 4%.
Source: Novinar (12.02.2014)

French want to work on South Stream French company Schneider Electric is interested and can be included in the construction of the South Stream project and the seventh unit of NPP Kozloduy. “We believe that with our technical expertise and global experience we can contribute in a number of key areas for the country's economy," said General Director of Schneider Electric for Bulgaria Christophe de Lafarge. He added that the company has already worked at the NPP Kozloduy, TPP Maritza Iztok 2, Terminal 2, Mini Maritsa Iztok. Meanwhile it became clear that Moscow was approved the marine environment assessment of the South Stream, which will pass through Russian territory to the Black Sea.
Source: Standart (18.03.2014)

Passengers at Sofia Airport Up 9% Y/Y in February 2014 Sofia Airport registered a 9% year-on-year increase in the number of processed passengers in February 2014. In February 2014, Sofia Airport processed a total of 258 709 passengers, up by 21 000 from February 2013, according to a media statement of the airport. There was an 11% increase in the number of passengers using regular flights and it was due to the increase in the frequency of weekly flights of some airline companies. There was a 5% increase in flights to the Black Sea cities of Varna and Burgas. In February 2014, a total of 2977 aircraft landed at Sofia Airport, up by 5.2% from 2013. Sofia Airport reported an increase in regular international flights by 12% and a decrease in tourist charter flights by 8% in February 2014. The summer flight schedule of Sofia Airport takes effect on March 30, 2014, offering convenient flight connections to 47 international destinations serviced by 22 airline companies. The introduction of the 2014 summer flight schedule will be marked with the launch of a new regular flight Sofia-Belgrade. Later during the season, two new direct flights will be launched from Sofia Airport. As of mid-May, Wizz Air will offer direct flights twice a week to Malmo, and as of June, Sofia Airport will offer direct flights to Zagreb.
Source: Novinar (19.03.2014)

Sofia Airport Sees Passenger Volume Increase of 7.3% in Q1 2014 Sofia Airport has processed a total of 833,278 passengers in Q1 2014, which is a 7.3% increase compared to the same period of 2013. There was a 9% increase in the number of passengers using international regular flights, a total of 748,143 people, according to a media statement of the airport. Bulgaria Air reported a 18% growth in passenger volume, while international airlines saw a 6% increase in numbers of passengers. The top performers are Wizz Air, easyJet, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, Air Berlin. Qatar Airways, Alitalia, LOT Polish Airlines, El Al, Olympic Air and Tarom also reported increase in numbers of processed passengers. Sofia Airport reported a decline in charter flights with 6,700 passengers to 51,589. Domestic flights were used by a total of 27,282 people - 1,600 less than last year's data. The increase of outbound and inbound flights is 2.7 % and reaches 9428, mainly at the expense of regular international lines. Bulgaria Air reported a 12% growth, while foreign airlines - an average of 8 %. In other flight segments - charter, domestic, cargo, business aviation, there is a decrease compared to Q1 2013.
Source: profit.bg (15.04.2014)

Sofia Airport Registers Significant Increase of Passengers in April Sofia Airport handled a total of 305,944 passengers in April, which marked an increase of 10.4% compared to the same month of 2013. The number of passengers on international scheduled flights increased by 11% and reached 289,282 people. The national air carrier Bulgaria Air recorded a 13% growth of serviced passengers thus preserving its leading position, the Sofia Airport informed. The renewed early morning flights of Lufthansa to Frankfurt handled more than 4 thousand passengers in April only. After the introduction of the summer timetable, a number of carriers increased their Sofia flight capacity which immediately reflected on the number of handled passengers. The Polish LOT now flies 11 times a week and has recorded an increase of passengers by 50% in April 2014 compared to the same month of 2013. Qatar Airways saw a 38% increase of passengers, and the Israeli carrier El Al – 32%. Passengers on charter flights increased by 1,334 compared to April 2013, and reached 4,000 due to the Easter holidays which in 2014 were in April. Domestic flights recorded a decrease of 6% compared to April 2013 with a total of 11,929 passengers serviced in April 2014. An increase of 2.5% was reported in aircraft movements in April 2014, compared to the same month of 2013 – a total of 3,448 aircraft departed and landed during that period. The increase was achieved mainly via international scheduled flights with Bulgaria Air as market leader and a 17% increase, while the group of foreign air carriers achieved an increase of 9% on annual basis. A total of 1,479 tonnes of cargo and mail shipments were processed in April 2014 which is a decrease of 3.8% compared to April 2013.
Source: econ.bg (14.05.2014)

Only a handful of state companies have not met the rules for deposits Eight companies from the energy, industry and transport fields violate the rules for the concentration of deposits, a government report by end-March shows. A few companies exceed the 25% limitation for the concentration of their funds in a single bank and in some cases the reasons are justifiable. Energy companies, the ones which hold the greatest financial resource, have kept their commitment to distribute their deposits in more than one bank. Thus the Bulgarian Energy Holding (BEH) has distributed its funds among five banks, while in March 2013 it kept 88.2% of its money at Central Cooperative Bank (CCB). Bulgartransgaz also abides by the rules. In end-December its net exposure to CCB was over 31%. The companies that still maintain a higher share of deposits at a single bank by end-March are State Consolidation Company, National Company Industrial Zones, Industrial Logistics Park – Burgas and LB Bulgaricum. LB Bulgaricum explained that the reason is a payment from a foreign contractor transferred in the last days of March, Capital daily reports.
Source: Capital (15.05.2014)

Sofia Airport H1 passenger numbers edge up The number of passengers serviced by Sofia Airport rose by 200,000 on the year to 1,838,148 in the first half of 2014, the airport said on Monday. The number of passengers on regular international routes rose 11%, while passengers on domestic flights from Sofia to the Black Sea port cities of Varna and Burgas dropped by 8.0% through June to 71,422, the airport said in a statement. Aircraft movements rose by 4.3% to 20,506 in the period under review. In June alone, the number of passengers serviced by Sofia Airport increased by 13.4% to 349,705. The most popular destinations in the January – June period were London, Vienna, Rome, Milan, and Berlin.
Source: Monitor (15.07.2014)

Balchik airbase has no chances to become profitable civil airport Balchik-based airbase has no chances to become profitable civil airport. The biggest problem is that there is no investor to be found. The present military airport is still in Sofia’s airport assets. One part of it is owned by the Defense ministry. The Balchik airport can’t turn into civil one due to its proximity to other two large airports- in Varna and Konstantza.In 2011 the government decided the inactive military airport in Balchik to become civil. The idea is the change in the airport’s purpose to improve air services on the Bulgarian Black sea coast, mainly during the active tourist season. Subsequently a state company under the name of Balchik airport was founded. Later on the government rendered to airport Sofia exploitation, management and support of airport complex Balchik. The airport announced that it starts to receive civil flights in 2012. The air base is located 800 m east from Levski neighborhood in Balchik at an area of 4600 acres.
Source: investor.bg (03.01.2015)

Sofia airport becomes intermodal terminal Modern railroad and convenient road connection will be routed to the Sofia Airport, further plans of transport ministry provide. Thus, the airport will become a modern intermodal terminal. And it make possible to transport cargo by air, rail and road. Most likely the facility will be equipped with equipment for servicing of containers. Automotive connection is planned to pass through the industrial area of Gara Iskar. There is an idea to connect the road to the North Tangent, Botevgradsko Shosse or the eastern arc of the Sofia ring-road. So far it is not known which of the options will be implemented first. It is clear only that the railway connection will leave from the eastern edge of the metropolitan station Poduyane.
Source: Monitor (07.04.2015)

Passenger traffic at Sofia Airport rose by an annual 4.6% to 866,786 in the first quarter of the year, the airport operator said on Thursday. The number of passengers on regular international routes increased by 6.0% over the year to 792,712 in January-March, while passengers on domestic flights went down by 850 to 26,425, the airport operator said in a statement. Aircraft movements at Sofia Airport rose by 4.3% on the year to 9,834 in the first quarter. The airport handled 4,122 tonnes of cargo and postal shipments in January-March, an increase of 2.2% from the same period in 2014. In March alone, passenger traffic rose by an annual 4.2% to 304,995 while aircraft movements rose by 6.1% to 3,441.
Source: profit.bg (17.04.2015)

Sofia airport concessioned by the end of the year By the end of the year Sofia airport’s concession procedure might be announced. At present, analyses for its state are being prepared. As they are over, concessionaire could be looked for. In the meantime number of routes and serviced destinations are expected to grow in number. By the end of 2015 it will be decided whether rendering under concession is a positive step for Sofia airport. If not still other solutions will be sought. Sofia airport has to pay a fine to the amount of USD 42 million, as it was sued over the runway from 2005-2006. Besides it has blocked about BGN 50 million in Corporate commercial bank. Construction of a new speed taxiway is to start this year. Its construction will result in reducing time in which airplanes move and will make both runway and apron more operational.
Source: Duma (15.05.2015)

US company to manage Bulgaria’s airport A US company has shown interest in receiving concession rights to the airport in Bulgaria's Gorna Oryahovitsa according to Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski. Moskovski told the parliamentary transport committee that the investment notice of the company, which had been submitted to the Transport Ministry, involved a plan to keep the current functions of the international airport. Analyses of the deal have started. He said that the company also wanted to establish a production facility for recycling aircraft that could create 500-600 jobs. Adequate investments in the runway, the buildings, and the equipment could make Gorna Oryahovitsa an attractive site for low-cost companies, cargo and business aviation. As for the Transport Ministry's efforts to conclude a concession agreement for Sofia Airport, the authorities revealed that the candidates would have to invest in the expansion and upgrade the old terminal currently used by low-cost airlines. The concession procedure is to be launched by the government in around a month.
Source: Novinar (12.06.2015)

Sofia Airport reported Monday a growth of 4.1 per cent on passengers on international flights in the first half of 2015. The passengers during this period totalled 1,913,352 which was 75,000 fewer than this time last year. The passenger flow increased by 5 per cent for the regular services. The most popular destinations were London,Vienna, Milano, Paris and Brussels. The largest number of passengers during the period under review used Wizz Air, Turkish Airlines, British Airways, Qatar Airways and Aegean Airlines. Passengers increased on domestic flights: they totalled 64,492 on the regular service from Sofia to Varna and Bourgas, which was 9.7 per cent less than the year before. Passengers on package tours were 5,400 fewer than in the first half of 2014 despite the 17 per cent increase for Bulgaria Air. In the first half of 2014, Sofia Airport boasted a 11 per cent increase of the passengers on regular services compared to the same time of 2013.
Source: Duma (14.07.2015)

Concession Procedures for Airports in Sofia, Plovdiv to Be Launched by end-2015 Bulgaria’s Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski has informed that concession procedures for the airports in Sofia and Plovdiv are be opened by end-2015. Moskovski, as cited by Sega daily, reminded that an attempt to award a concession contract for the cargo terminal of Plovdiv Airport had been launched before but no candidates had applied for the procedure. He underscored that this time the procedure would cover the entire Plovdiv Airport. The program of Bulgaria’s current government only envisages a concession procedure for the civilian airport in Plovdiv, which is now used mainly by low-cost airlines, which is to be wrapped up by 2018. Speaking after a Bulgarian-Bavarian economic forum, Economy Minister Bozhidar Lukarski announced Monday that Munich Airport had expressed interest in the concession procedure for Sofia Airport.
Source: Sega (15.07.2015)

Sofia Airport Records 8.3 % Increase in Number of Passengers in July The airport of the Bulgarian capital recorded a 8.3 % increase in the number of passengers in July compared to the same month in 2014. A total of 393 312 passengers were serviced in July, with 67 % of them going through Terminal 2, while the remaining 33 % passed through Terminal 1, which services the low-cost airlines. The traffic on regular international routes increased by 7.5 %, reaching 364 000 passengers in July. There was a growth in the number of passengers flying on European routes, which increased with five new destinations at the end of July, when Wizz Air started operating on five new routes – Cologne, Memmingen (Munich West), Geneva, Naples and Bari. There was a double increase in the number of passengers on the regular route to Doha as well as the seasonal flight to Catania. There is a growing interest on the regional routes to Athens and Belgrade. The passengers on charter flights were 2744, which represented an increase of 22 % compared to July 2014. Nearly 80 % of the tourists flying on charter flights opted for a Bulgarian airline. There was a 4 % increase in the number of passengers on domestic flights, which was due to the new route to Varna. The total number of airplanes, which took off and landed at Sofia Airport was 4173, which was an increase of 7 % compared to July 2014. The number of charter flights increased by 8 %, while the corresponding increase in the number of domestic flights was 6.3 %. From the end of March 2016, Wizz Air will start flying to four new destinations from the Bulgarian capital - Alicante, Bristol, Hamburg Lubeck and Oslo, while Ryanair will start operating daily flights between Sofia and London Stansted from May next year. Thus, Sofia will become connected to 54 airports in Europe and the Near East from the next summer.
Source: Novinar (13.08.2015)

List of Bulgaria’s CorpBank creditors published A list of creditors of Corporate Commercial Bank (CorpBank) has been published in the Commercial Register. The 173-page list contains the names of individuals and firms with recognised claims. The biggest creditor is the Bulgarian Deposit Insurance Fund (BDIF), which paid BGN 3,647,600,000 to 109,230 depositors from December 4, 2014 to August 17, 2015. The list contains the names of depositors with deposits of BGN 196,000, which is guaranteed by the state. The biggest bank creditors are the Bulgarian Development Bank (over BGN 46 million), Societe Generale, Paris (over BGN 44 million), Commerzbank AG, Frankfurt (almost BGN 12.5 million), the Privatisation and Post-Privatisation Control Agency (PPCA) (BGN 10.7 million), and the National Revenue Agency (NRA) (over BGN 3.2 million). Toplofikatsiya Sofia heating utility is the biggest creditor among companies with over BGN 90 million. It is followed by the Dunarit military plant (over BGN 85 million), the Telish winery, NURTS, and others. Hospitals are also among the CorpBank creditors. The list also contains the names of physical persons but Minister of Culture Vezhdi Rashidov and former prime minister Ivan Kostov are not among them. They had themselves said they had money in the bank. The list contains the name of Ahmet Dogan, honorary chairperson of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF). He had BGN 694,000 in CorpBank. The list was compiled on June 22 and does not include claims that had been paid because they were covered by the state guarantee. The list can be appealed against in up to 14 days, after which the assignees will have their say on claims in 7 days.
Source: Agency Focus (19.08.2015)

Bulgaria hopes to award Sofia airport concession in spring 2016 Bulgaria’s Cabinet plans to finalise the concession tender for the Sofia airport in the spring of 2016, Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov said on October 29 during a meeting with employer associations and trade unions. Goranov attended the meeting of the advisory tripartite council, called to discuss the government’s 2016 Budget bill, which the Cabinet is due to debate at a special meeting on October 30. In its revised three-year Budget strategy, published last week, the Finance Ministry said that it would seek a one-off payment of 600 million leva, or about 306.8 million euro, for the concession on the country’s largest airport. “We promised [Transport Minister Ivailo] Moskovski that the priority for this one-off influx of revenue, if it comes from this concession, would be to solve the issues accumulated in recent years in the Transport Ministry, primarily as concerns railways, but not only there,” Goranov said, as quoted by the Bulgarian National Radio. “We can look at it as an internal sector deal within the transportation system,” he said. This would represent a major policy departure for Bulgaria, which transfers all concession revenue to the Silver Fund, a reserve set up to cover future deficits in the pension system. Reports in Bulgarian media said that the draft Budget bill will include a provision that would waive the existing requirement for concession revenue to be directed to the reserve fund. Although this is not the first time that a possible concession on Sofia airport has been mentioned by government officials in recent months, Goranov’s remarks are the first to include a possible time frame for the deal, but it remains unclear when a concession tender would be announced.(sofiaglobe)
Source: Monitor (30.10.2015)

London-based real estate manager group Revetas Capital said on Monday it has bought the Sofia Airport Center (SAC) office building in Bulgaria's capital city. Revetas has acquired the building from its former owner US-based commercial real estate company Tishman International Companies, according to the Bulgarian Registry Agency. The deal is among the largest on the market as the company's assets amount to around 100 million levs ($56.5 million/51.3 million euro), including four buildings and 12.5 ha of land, local media Capital Daily reported. In Bulgaria, Revetas Capital owns City Center Sofia shopping mall. The company is focused on value added and opportunistic investments in Central and Eastern Europe.
Source: Capital (22.02.2016)

Concession procedure for Sofia airport will start in two weeks’ time Concession procedure for Sofia Airport will begin in a matter of two weeks. All analyzes for concession procedure are ready and are at the office of the regional governor of Sofia, who issues all papers for properties that are public state ownership. The procedure will be organized as a competition between offers, as the auction probably will start from BGN 550 million. The concession will be won by the operator which will present the highest offer.
Source: econ.bg (29.02.2016)

Sofia airport passenger traffic up 14% y/y in Jan-Feb Passenger traffic at Sofia Airport rose by an annual 14% to 641,807 in the first two months of the year, the airport operator said on Tuesday. The number of passengers on regular international routes rose by an annual 17% due to the launch of direct flights to new destinations in the summer of 2015, the airport operator said in a statement. Since the beginning of the year, aircraft movements rose by 10% to 7,045. Out of them, the international regular lines increased the most - by 13%. The airport handled 2,974 tonnes of cargo and postal shipments in January-February, up by 12% compared to the same period last year. For the first time this winter season, two of the traditional tourist routes, operated by UK airline Thomas Cook, run as regular flights instead of charters. Sofia Airport summer flight schedule, taking effect from March 27, will include four new European routes to Alicante, Oslo, Hamburg and Birmingham. In April, Ryanair will begin to service a regular line from Sofia to Pisa as well as to London Stansted.
Source: money.bg (16.03.2016)

Strong foreign companies have shown serious interest in the forthcoming concession of Sofia Airport. One of them is the huge financial and economic Spanish group Ferrovial, which recently sent a formal request to the Ministry of Transport about the conditions for the concession of the airport. Since its inception in 1952, Ferrovial became a leading global provider of strategic infrastructure - airports, highways and large facilities. For several decades Ferrovial has a key presence in Spain, USA, UK, Canada, Poland and 10 other countries and employs 74 thousand people. Another candidate for concession of Sofia Airport is the Munich Airport. Recently, a powerful South Korean company also expressed strong interest in the airport.
Source: Standart (28.03.2016)

Bulgaria Govt to Discuss Granting Concession on Plovdiv Airport Wednesday Bulgaria’s government will discuss today the process of granting concession on the airport in Plovdiv. Bulgaria can grant concessions on its airports for maximum 35 years under the country’s existing legislation but the term can be extended up to 99 years after the adoption of a new Concession Act drafted in line with a respective EU directive that will take effect from April 15. The new Concession Act is expected to be submitted to Parliament soon. The passenger airport in Plovdiv, some 150 km. southeast of Sofia, is used as an alternative to Sofia Airport in adverse weather conditions. Bulgaria's Pamporovo AD has shown interest in becoming concessionaire of Plovdiv Airport. Potential investors from China and Turkey have also expressed interest. The future concessionaire of Plovdiv airport will also be granted the right to build and operate a cargo terminal. The government also plans to grant concession on the construction of an intermodal transport terminal near Plovdiv that will make the airport a hub for cargo traffic between Western Europe and the Middle East.
Source: money.bg (30.03.2016)

Ryanair to open base in Sofia in Oct Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair said on Tuesday it will open a base in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, its first in the country, in October. The air carrier will allocate three aircraft worth USD 300 million to the base, company officials told a news conference in Sofia. Ryanair will service flights to 21 destinations from Sofia, aiming to carry 1.5 million passengers in the first year of operation. The air carrier currently operates flights connecting Plovdiv, Bulgaria's second largest city, with London Stansted. It has so far announced the launching of a total of 13 new routes from Sofia in 2016.
Source: money.bg (31.03.2016)

Procedure for Sofia Airport concession will start towards the end of April Most probably procedure for concession of Sofia Airport will start towards the end of April. Properties of the airport were with problematic papers. Council of ministers has already adopted their zoning as state property and the procedure must be completed within 10 days. Initially announcement of concession procedure of the Airport was announced for the end of March.
Source: investor.bg (14.04.2016)

Liabilities of BDZ reduced but still huge A little over BGN 470 million are the duties of Holding BDZ at the end of March, according to Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski. In October 2014 the liabilities were BGN 564 million. The reduction of the obligations amounts to nearly BGN 94 million or 16.6%. Transport Minister reaffirmed the government's intentions to grant Sofia Airport at a concession until the end of the year as the money would go for repayment of debts to creditors of BDZ. Moskovski made it clear that in 2015 BDZ was ordered to pay default interest on the second bond loan of BGN 10.7 million per year. Bondholders now intend only to sell unnecessary BDZ wagons and properties that were not needed by the Holding. Transport Minister admits that if they do not provide the necessary funds for repayment of BDZ, the creditors have "sufficiently coercive instruments at their disposal", which includes the sale of assets of the Holding and blocking accounts.
Source: money.bg (03.05.2016)

State-owned airports report comparatively good results Waiting for concession procedure of the two largest airports that are still managed by the state to start financial results of the companies in the sector for 2015, turn out to be quite good. Sofia Airport increases its revenues and profit, while Plovdiv-based airport decreases its loss by nearly one third. The end result for Gorna Orqhovitsa airport, for which earlier this year a concessionaire was appointed practically does not change. As a whole, trend for all of them is kept unchanged in the first three-month period of the present year, too. Behind better results of Sofia airport stand accelerated natural indices. The company registers growth of plane moves (landings and take-offs), number of passengers and freights. The largest contribution to the number of serviced aircraft from the airport and passengers during the period are airlines Wizz Air (which has opened five new direct lines), Turkish Airlines, British Airways, Qatar Airways, Aegean Airlines. Growth in processed goods results from the development of cargo operations with maintenance of aircraft cargo over 100 tons. This has led to an increase in revenues and earnings of the company, which exceeded planned for the year.
Source: Capital (10.05.2016)

Nobody wants to buy BDZ Freight Services No investor was interested in the privatization of BDZ Freight Services, which was planned by the Ministry of Transport. This was announced by Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski after meeting with the unions and the management of BDZ. On Wednesday, after the participation of the Minister in the parliamentary transport committee some media reported that at least 600 people at BDZ Freight Services are to be curtailed. Moskovski said categorically that there is no such plan for layoffs. He explained that he had cited figures from the strategy to rescue the rail waiting state aid approval from the European Commission. There are preliminary plans for cuts in BDZ Freight Services but the Ministry cannot appoint and layoff people from the company. The management of the holding will work on a restructuring plan, which will reflect on the people who work there at minimum, Moskovski said.
Source: investor.bg (13.05.2016)

Sofia Airport April passenger traffic up 13% y/y Passenger traffic at Sofia Airport rose by an annual 13% to 367,696 in April, the airport operator said on Thursday. The number of passengers on regular international routes, which represent 96% of the total, increased 14.7% over the year in April, while passengers on domestic flights grew 7.7%, the airport operator said in a statement. Aircraft movements at Sofia Airport rose 11.7% on the year to 4,082 last month. The airport handled 2,173 tonnes of cargo and postal shipments in April, up by an annual 50.6%.
Source: investor.bg (13.05.2016)

Bulgaria to Grant 35-Year Concession on Sofia Airport Bulgaria will award a concession on Sofia Airport for a period of 35 years, the government has decided. The cabinet plans to seek an upfront payment of a concession fee from the winner of the concession in order to repay debt of Bulgarian State Railways company (BDZ), Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski told reporters on Tuesday. Moskovski told public radio broadcaster BNR last week that the upfront payment could be in the amount of BGN 600 M (EUR 300 M). Details of the planned procedure for selecting a concessionaire of Bulgaria’s biggest international airport will become clear in the next 10 days following publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. Those details include the concession fee, an investment programme and a breakdown of investment by years. Bulgaria hopes to earn a net BGN 1.2 B (EUR 600 M) from the concession over 35 years, Moskovski said. Potential candidates for the concession will face end-September deadline to submit their offers, he added The concession-awarding process will unfold in parallel with a state-aid notification procedure for BDZ at the European Commission. The government hopes to have received clearance from the Commission to use proceeds from the concession for repayment of outstanding debt of BDZ by the end of September, Moskovski said. BDZ's outstanding debt totalled about BGN 470 M (EUR 235 M) as of end-March.
Source: investor.bg (18.05.2016)

Sofia Airport to be given for 35 year-concession Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Ivaylo Moskovski said that the Council of Ministers had decided to launch the procedure for the concession of Sofia airport. He said that the basic framework entails a 35-year concession term. ''I would like to call for patience over the next ten days as we are subject to the existing regulation of the Concessions Act of 18 April. Art. 33 says that the notice of award of a concession must not be published in the country before the official publication by the Office of the EU. Maybe it will be published or a notice given in 7-10 days, so from there on you can inquire about the details of the concession, but they are not different from what I have repeatedly stated in recent weeks and months'', said the Transport Minister after the session of the Council of Ministers.
Source: Standart (18.05.2016)

Bulgaria Seeks Concessionaire for Sofia Airport Bulgaria has opened a tender for granting a 35-year concession on Sofia International Airport. The future concessionaire will be required to pay a one-off concession fee of at least BGN 550 M (EUR 281 M), VAT excluded, plus an annual fee of at least BGN 9.96 M for the term of the concession. The concessionaire will also be obliged to invest at least BGN 306.5 M during the term of the concession in the construction of a new Terminal 1 with capacity to handle three million passengers a year as well as in other elements of the airport’s infrastructure, the Transport Ministry in Sofia said in a statement on Friday. Operators of at least one international airport generating passenger traffic of more than six million peope per year will be considered eligible bidders. They will be also required to have qualified technical staff as well as the necessary equipment. The bidders will also have to provide reliable guarantees of being able to secure financing for the project. The concession fee (the one-off payment plus the annual payments) will carry a total of 55 points in the overall ranking of the submitted bids. A business proposal for the operation of the airport for the term of the concession, including a social programme, will carry 25 points, investment commitments – 15 points, and measures for boosting security at the airport – 5 points. The deadline for submitting bids will expire on 20 October 2016. The bids will be opened on the following day. Bulgaria hopes to earn over BGN 1.2 B net for the term of the concession, according to the statement. Several foreign-based companies have previously expressed interest in the concession, including Munich Airport, Spain’s Ferrovial and an unnamed South Korean company, according to Bulgarian media reports. Sofia Airport has reported a 13% annual increase in passenger numbers for April. There was an increase of 14.7% in the number of passengers on scheduled international flights who form 96% of total passenger throughput. Passengers on domestic flights increased by 7.7% year-on-year in April
Source: investor.bg (06.06.2016)

Trains are bought with BGN 200 million from Sofia Airport’s concession With BGN 200 million form revenues of Sofia Airport’s concession will be used for purchase of trains. The initial deposit, which concessionaire has to pay the state is at least BGN 640 million. With BGN 450 million of them obligations of the Bulgarian State Railways will be paid. The rest will be invested in purchase of trains for the latter. Money from the state budget will also be used. New trains are necessary especially for updated routes in Southern Bulgaria. The term for handing out papers for the procedure is 22 of October. Former military base is included in the area of the airport, so that industrial and cargo zone is developed.
Source: Monitor (16.06.2016)

Sofia Airport Concession Procedure Halted over Forfeiture Claim A Gulf consortium has brought the concession procedure for Sofia Airport to a halt, officials say. The entity named MAK/ADMAK, which brings together Kuwait-based Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafi & Sons and Saudi-based Admak General Contracting Company, has lodged a claim with the Commission for Protection of Competition. MAK/ADMAK has launched a litigation case against Sofia Airport, arguing the latter has failed to pay compensations. In 2006, the consortium built a new runway for Sofia Airport, but then reported it had not been paid dozens of millions of USD it was to receive under its contract with the Sofia Airport. A Paris arbitration ruled in 2011 that Sofia Airport was to pay more than USD 40 M to MAK/ADMAK. The Bulgarian government announced it was opening a tender for the airport earlier in June.
Source: investor.bg (20.06.2016)

Sofia Airport May passenger traffic up 16% y/y Passenger traffic at Bulgaria's main airport in Sofia rose by an annual 16% to 410,198 in May, the airport operator said on Wednesday. The number of passengers on regular international routes, which represent 95% of the total, increased 19% on the year in May, while passengers on domestic flights fell 11%, Sofia Airport said in a statement. Aircraft movements at Sofia Airport rose 16% on the year to 4,448 last month. The airport handled 1,467 tonnes of cargo and postal shipments in May, down by an annual 6%.
Source: investor.bg (23.06.2016)

Sofia Airport’s concession may be restored soon Commission for protection of competition rejected the appeal against the Kuwaiti consortium against the future concession of Sofia airport, for which on June 19, the procedure was suspended. Mohammed Abdulmohsin al-Kharafi and Sons - one of the companies that built the new runway at the airport is concerned that after the start of the concessions it will not receive USD 43 mln. that the state owes them in arbitration proceedings that it lost. Interested parties have three days to appeal the decision. In 2011, the Kuwaiti consortium won a lawsuit against the airport in international arbitration in Paris over unpaid amounts on penalties and no release of bank guarantees for the construction of the new runway at the airport. The decision was confirmed by the Sofia City Court, but was subsequently appealed and is still awaiting a final decision expected in November 2016. In the published conditions of the procedure for the upcoming concession, however, is said that the selected concessionaire company will have no commitment to the awarded to the consortium sum of USD 43 million.
Source: 24 chasa (01.07.2016)

EU to approve allocation of Sofia airport concession fees towards Bulgarian railways - transport min The European Commission will approve in September the allocation of the proceeds of a planned concession for the Sofia Airport towards Bulgaria's indebted state-owned railways operator BDZ, which represents state aid, transport minister Ivaylo Moskovski said. "We have received confirmation from EU Commissioner in charge of competition Margrethe Vestager that the [aid] notification will be approved," the minister said. The exact amount of the funding is yet to be determined, he added. In June, Bulgaria's transport ministry launched a 35-year tender for the concession of Sofia Airport seeking at least BGN 550 million in a one-off concession payment. BDZ's debts amounted to over BGN 470 million by March.
Source: investor.bg (07.07.2016)

Sofia Airport Posts 14% Increase in Passengers in January-June Sofia Airport handled 2,174,335 passengers in the first half of the year, 260,980 (14 per cent) more than a year earlier, according to the Airport's June and first-half statistics. Terminal 1 handled 41 per cent of all passengers, and the rest went through Terminal 2. The number of passengers on regular international flights grew by 16 per cent on a year earlier due to the new destinations and increased flight frequency to some destinations. Eleven new destinations were introduced in the first half of the year: Kiev, Bristol, Oslo/Torp, Birmingham, Pisa, London/Stansted, Lisbon, Alicante, Palermo, Copenhagen and Budapest. A 4 per cent drop was reported for passengers on regular domestic flights from Sofia to Varna and Bourgas between January and June. Passengers on charter flights were 23 per cent fewer than in the first half of 2015. A total of 23,795 aircraft were handled in the first half of the year, 12 per cent more than a year earlier. Regular international flights increased by 15 per cent, while regular domestic flights decreased by 3 per cent. Charter flights decreased by 7 per cent. Specialized cargo flights went up by about 2 per cent. At 10,325 tonnes, cargo and postal delivery was 15 per cent more than in the first half of 2015 (with a 16 per cent increase for cargo shipments and 10 per cent growth in postal delivery). In June, Sofia Airport handled 415,559 passengers, up 13 per cent from a year earlier, and 4,509 flights, up 16 per cent. Cargo and postal shipments totalled 1,748 tonnes, down 4 per cent on a year earlier.
Source: Monitor (27.07.2016)

Turkish group Limak shifts aims to bid in Bulgaria's tender to operate Sofia airport for 35 years, in a deal expected to bring in some USD 684 million.The company won a USD 4.34 billion tender last year to build Kuwait's international airport terminal. In its home market, Limak was interested in infrastructure projects such as a plan to build a canal linking the Black and Marmara Seas and a bridge across the Dardanelles strait. In May, Limak and Cengiz Holding won a tender to build the Asian section of motorway connecting to a third bridge spanning Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait. The company might consider a bond issue for refinancing purposes following the opening of Istanbul's third airport, which Limak built as part of a consortium. Limak expects USD 4.2 billion in revenue this year, up from USD 3.8 billion last year.
Source: mediapool.bg (15.08.2016)

Russia Certifies Ural, Yamal to Fly to Bulgaria’s Burgas, Plovdiv from Moscow’s Zhukovsky Airport Two Russian airlines have been certified for scheduled flights to two Bulgarian cities from Zhukovsky Airport near Moscow, the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency has said. Ural Airlines has been issed a permit to fly to the Black Sea city of Burgas seven times a week, the agency, known by its Russian acronym Rosaviatsiya, announced on Monday. Yamal Airlines has been certified for flying to Bulgaria’s second biggest city of Plovdiv four times a week. Zhukovsky, Moscow’s fourth international airport, opened on 30 May 2016. Located 43 kilometers from central Moscow, Zhukovsky airport will initially serve four million passengers a year. Passenger numbers are expected to increase to 12 million by 2020, when construction is complete, according to Russian media reports.
Source: expert.bg (23.08.2016)

Ryanair has already appealed to the European Commission for the debts of Bulgaria Air to Sofia Airport Ryanair has filed a complaint with the European Commission over illegal state aid in respect of Bulgaria Air, said Ryanair's Chief Commercial Officer David O'Brien. He clarified that it is not direct financial aid but state protection that allows Bulgaria Air to not pay their old debts while it accumulates new. The problem with the debts of the national carrier is present for several years. In early July the executive director of the airport Hristo Shterionov said that Bulgaria Air owes BGN 47.2 million to Sofia Airport, and the payment schedule provides for them to be paid by the end of 2021. According to O'Brien his company does not expect the European Commission to intervene in time and Ryanair does not rely on that happening. In turn, Bulgaria Air threatened Ryanair with prosecution for unlawful competition, without specifying how. Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair is expanding its operations in Bulgaria, planning to add to its summer schedule next year 19 flights to and from the capital Sofia, the company said on Wednesday. The air carrier plans to launch flights from Sofia to the airports of Athens, Baden Baden, Barcelona, Berlin, Birmingham, Brussels, Castellon, Cologne, Dublin, Eindhoven, Glasgow, Hamburg, Liverpool, Madrid, Memmingen, Milano, Rome, Stockholm and Treviso, Ryanair officials told a news conference. The new destinations are expected to attract more than 1.6 million customers annually and create 1,200 jobs at Sofia Airport, the company's regional marketing manager for Central and Eastern Europe, Denis Barabas, told a news conference. The company is also contemplating the addition of a flight between Sofia and the Czech capital Prague, Barabas told a SeeNews reporter on the sidelines of the news conference. The official also said that Ryanair is moving forth with plans to shift its focus from secondary airports to primary ones, pointing as an example to Brussels Zaventem. The air carrier will open next week a base in the Bulgarian capital, allocating to it three new aircraft worth $300 million (272.2 million euro). The base will service flights to 22 destinations. Due to strong interest, the company also plans to double flights on the Sofia - London Stansted route, which it introduced in April.
Source: Capital (01.09.2016)

Concession Award Procedure for Sofia Airport Extended until End-November The Transport, IT and Communications Ministry will extend the concession award procedure for Sofia Airport by a month until the end of November at the request of three companies which have shown an interest, Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski told journalists. The Ministry's website has had more than 1,000 visits and about 700 questions asked by potentially interested companies. Moskovski is participating in The Role of Airports in the European Union and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Conference in Sofia, organized by the American Association of Airport Executives and the US Embassy with the Transport Ministry's support. Some of the largest US airports are represented at the forum. Moskovski said it would be great if some of the major US companies showed an interest in the concession. He recalled that safety and security measures are some of the key selection criteria. The Transport Minister denied that Sofia Airport cannot be extended. He said that it can handle up to 10 million passengers with one runway and a second runway should be built for more passengers. He commented: "The last few years have seen an increase in the volume of business at Sofia Airport and I am convinced that it has a potential. It may be an overstatement to say that Sofia Airport could become a regional leader given Istanbul Airport's traffic volume, but it does have a place in the region." The forum is expected to provide an impetus to relations regarding security and communication among airports in Southeastern Europe. This is the first time Bulgaria has hosted such a high-level event in the sector. Previous forums were held in Croatia, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
Source: Dnevnik (13.09.2016)

Bulgaria’s Bourgas Airport to close from end of October to end of December Bulgaria’s Bourgas Airport on the Black Sea coast will be closed to flights from October 31 to December 30 2016 as a large investment project is carried out, requiring runway closure, the airport said. Airlines operating to Bourgas Airport had been informed, the airport said. The investment project involves work on taxiing lanes and upgrades to the lighting system. This past summer, Bourgas Airport handled flights to nearly 50 destinations in 20 countries. Most frequent destinations in the schedule were the regular air routes to Sofia, Moscow, St. Petersburg, London, Prague, Minsk, Warsaw, Brno and Bratislava. Bourgas Airport handled daily flights in the summer to all these routes.
Source: Capital (03.10.2016)

USA donated equipment for USD 35 million to Sofia Airport Equipment for radiation detection worth USD 35 million was donated by the US Department of Energy to Sofia Airport. This was announced by Deputy Interior Minister Filip Gunev at the airport, where the Interior Ministry and the US Embassy marked the successful completion of the program to install systems to combat illicit trafficking of radioactive and nuclear materials. "With the installation of systems to combat illicit trafficking of radioactive and nuclear materials Bulgaria and the EU become more secure. The project costs nearly USD 35 million. The program covered more than 20 checkpoints,” said Gunev. According to him, the program makes Bulgaria and the EU more secure in "times when the threats of terrorism and the continuing conflict in the Middle east present significant challenges."
Source: investor.bg (05.10.2016)

Lufthansa Technik Sofia invests 30 mln euro in hangar expansion The provider of civil aircraft maintenance and repair services Lufthansa Technik Sofia is investing EUR 30 million in the expansion of its hangars at Sofia airport. The project includes the construction of three additional maintenance lines and workshop areas as well as a six-level multifunctional building which allows for further growth of the central service department in the Bulgarian capital. Out of the total amount, EUR 5 million will be invested in training. The investment is planned to boost the volume of the company's operations by 60% and will lead to a 30% increase in the number of employees in Sofia to 1,300. Lufthansa Technik Sofia carried out 100 checks of airplanes last year, which took between a day and a month each. After the expansion, the hanger will be able to accommodate big-body aircraft. However, the company expects to service small-body aircraft only over the next 2-3 years. Further plans about Lufthansa Technik's operations in Bulgaria have been discussed.
Source: investor.bg (06.10.2016)

Turkish Limak Holding, Russian VTB Capital, Swiss Flughafen Zuerich To Bid Jointly for Sofia Airport Turkish Limak Holding, Russian VTB Capital and Swiss Flughafen Zuerich will bid jointly for the rights to operate Sofia Airport for 35 years. In September, Bulgaria extended the deadline for the tender offers by one month until November 18 due to increased interest in the tender. The Bulgarian government expects the tender for the main airport in Sofia to yield proceeds of about BGN 1.2 billion. Limak Hoilding is one of the investors constructing the third airport in Istanbul. In April, Limak won the right to finish the construction and operate for 25 years Blaise-Diagne Airport in Senegal.
Source: Sega (02.11.2016)

Sofia Airport Tender Extended by mid-December Bulgaria has extended for a second time the deadline to submit offers for the concession the government seeks to grant on Sofia Airport, the country's biggest airport. Candidates can now send their offers before December 15, upon a decision approved on the last workday before the November 06 presidential elections, which was Friday, November 04. The new deadline is December 14, at 17:00, news website Mediapool quotes Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski as responding to an inquiry it has made. There are no expectations for the procedure to go be over by the end of 2016, Moskovski has added, also citing "big interest" among candidates, with 1000 questions posed to the ministry by potential bidders. Announced in May, the concession procedure was temporarily brought to a halt over a court claim by a consortium that had built one of the airport's runways. However, a court turned down the claim, renewing the procedure. Last week, reports emerged that a consortium of several companies, including Turkish Limak Holding, Russia's VTB Capital, and Swiss-based Flughafen Zuerich, would make a joint bid to operate the airport.
Source: Dnevnik (08.11.2016)

Bulgaria extends bidding deadline for Sofia Airport concession to Jan 31 Bulgaria's transport ministry is extending the deadline for submitting offers in a tender for granting concession on Sofia International Airport to January 31. The extension was made at the request of "one of the large airport operators in Europe". This is the third extension to the deadline. Earlier this month, the deadline was extended to December 14. Moskovski said at the time that the extension was made at the request of three companies. "This will create an opportunity for the next government to decide whether to proceed with the concession on the airport," Moskovski said. The financial parameters of the concession include mandatory one-off payment of at least BGN 550 million, excluding VAT. The concessionaire should also pay an annual fee equal to at least 7% of its net revenue but no less than BGN 9.95 million. The concessionaire will also have to invest at least BGN 306.5 million in the airport for the entire term of the concession contract.
Source: Capital (21.11.2016)

The first and so far only municipal airport in the country - airport "Ruse" was licensed for airfield for small aircraft. Certificate of operational availability of the airfield was issued by the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications on 19th December 2016. At a meeting on 20 October the Municipal Council voted a proposal for fees and charges for using the airport. Since the airport is owned by the municipal and has no analogue in the country for payment proposals, tariffs of civil aviation and civil airports were used. In December 2014 the Council of Ministers decided to grant the airport’s management to the Municipality of Ruse. The location of the airport is strategic for the city and provides opportunities for combining rail, road, water and air transport.
Source: 24 chasa (21.12.2016)

Bulgaria extends deadline in Sofia airport concession tender to May 19 Bulgaria's transport ministry said it has extended the deadline for submitting offers in a tender for granting concession on Sofia International Airport to May 19. The offers will be opened on May 22, the transport ministry announced on its website last week. This is the fourth extension of the procedure for awarding a concession contract for the operation of Bulgaria's biggest airport. On November 18, transport minister Ivaylo Moskovski said that the extension of the deadline will create an opportunity for the next government to decide whether to continue with the concession procedure. On November 14, Prime minister Boyko Borissov submitted the resignation of his minority coalition government after the candidate of main governing GERB party lost the presidential elections the day before. President Rumen Radev, who took office on Sunday, is expected soon to appoint a caretaker government, dissolve parliament and call early elections. The vote is likely to take place in late March or early April. The financial parameters of the concession include mandatory one-off payment of at least 550 million levs ($310.5 million/281.3 million euro), excluding VAT. The concessionaire should also pay an annual fee equal to at least 7% of its net revenue but no less than 9.95 million levs. The concessionaire will also have to invest at least 306.5 million levs in the airport for the entire term of the concession contract.
Source: mediapool.bg (24.01.2017)

Bulgaria Air Debts To Sofia Airport Reach BGN 60 M Bulgaria Air’s debts to Sofia Airport continue to grow and, at present, amount to over BGN 59 M, reported Kapital Daily. In August 2010, debts amounted to BGN 23 M. In the summer of 2016, the former director Hristo Shterionov announced that Bulgaria Air owes the airport BGN 47.2 M. Thus, it turns out that, instead of shrinking, the unpaid fees of the air carrier to Chimimport Group are increasing. According to Sofia Airport Director Stanchev, there is a huge discrepancy between the record number of passengers passing through the airport annually and its bad financial results. The profit margin of the airport is between 4% and 5 % instead of 25-30%. Last year, the state enterprise had revenues of BGN 131 M and a profit of BGN 9.6 M according to the latest accounting report. In 2015, the financial result was BGN 5.5 M, given revenues of BGN 118 M. The director of Sofia Airport announced that there are problems with security, the public procurement orders of the airport and the overloading of the terminals. As soon as Stanhev occupied the post, he ordered an analysis of the current concession procedure to be drafted by outside experts. According to the concession conditions, offers by candidate investors will be accepted until the end of May. The analysis must be ready in two weeks, and the Transport Minister and the government must make a decision on the basis of the analysis.
Source: Dnevnik (14.03.2017)

Bulgaria's transport minister proposes to cancel Sofia Airport concession tender Bulgaria's caretaker transport minister Hristo Aleksiev proposed to cancel the tender for awarding a 35-year concession contract for the operation of Sofia International Airport. The tendering procedure in its current form doesn't ensure sufficient protection of public interest. According to Aleksiev, the weight of the one-off concession fee (55%) in the evaluation of the offers is too high, while the investment programme and the plans for the airport's development have been seriously neglected. The conditions of the concession procedure will lead to an increase in airport charges and to a decrease of passenger traffic. Bulgaria needs to hire an international consultant to advise what model of operation of the airport will best suit the country's interests. The final decision for a possible termination of the concession tender rests with the government. In June, the transport ministry launched a tender for a Sofia Airport concession contract, seeking at least BGN 550 million as a one-off upfront concession payment. The deadline for submitting bids in the tender was extended four times. The latest deadline will expire on May 31.
Source: mediapool.bg (21.03.2017)

Bulgaria's caretaker govt cancels Sofia Airport concession tende Bulgaria's caretaker government cancelled a tender for awarding a 35-year concession contract for the operation of Sofia International Airport, the government press office said on Wednesday. "The government terminated the concession procedure for Sofia Airport due to the existence of an objective circumstance which was unforeseen at the time of the adoption of the decision to launch the procedure," the government press office said. In March, transport minister Hristo Aleksiev proposed to cancel the concession tender as the preset conditions would lead to an increase in airport charges and to a decline of passenger traffic. In June, the transport ministry launched a tender for a Sofia Airport concession contract, seeking at least 550 million levs ($313.6 million/281.4 million euro) as a one-off upfront concession payment. The deadline for submitting bids in the tender was extended four times. The latest deadline had to expire on May 31. Elsewhere in Southeast Europe, Serbia's government has invited bids for a 25-year concession contract to operate Belgrade airport. A total of 27 companies have submitted declarations of interest in the pre-qualification stage of the tender and 25 of them have proceeded to the next stage and should prepare non-binding offers. The list of candidates includes companies from Germany, France, China, Turkey, Switzerland, India, South Korea and Greece, itSerbian infrastructure minister Zorana Mihajlovic said in March. A month earlier a Serbian government aide said the concession contract has drawn the intetrest of Spain's Ferrovial, Germany's Hochtief and Germany's Fraport, France's Aeroports de Paris and Dutch-based Schiphol.
Source: Monitor (06.04.2017)

The tender for concession at Sofia Airport will be renewed The Minister of Transport will resume the procedure for the concession of Airport Sofia. "There were two main objectives to be achieved - the airport to be managed by a professional operator and, second, the proceeds of the advance payment for this concession to be used to solve the debt problems in the Bulgarian railways," the Minister said. Earlier in April, the interuim cabinet halted the procedure. Four times the deadline for the submission of tenders was extended, with the last deadline being 19 May 2017, outside the mandate of the cabinet. Among the previously mentioned candidates for concessionaires were two Turkish companies - TAV (with 38% participation of the French Aeroports de Paris Group), which operates several airports in Turkey, as well as in Georgia, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, and Limak, which is the unification building the new mega airport of Istanbul. The third candidate was the German Fraport, which runs the airports in Burgas and Varna together with holding company Chimimport.
Source: Capital (09.05.2017)

The concession procedure for Sofia Airport will be resumed in September Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski hopes to resume the concession procedure at Sofia Airport in September. At a conference in Sofia, he announced that Bulgaria wants to attract some of the international financial institutions as a consultant. Talks have already been held with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank, and the European Investment Bank will be offered to bid. Their commitment will be to update all the analyzes - financial, economic, social and environmental - and to provide a concept for the procedure itself. Moskovski will insist that the new procedure also maintains the requirement for a larger advance payment by the concessionaire. This money is necessary for the recovery of BDZ, he recalled. Moskovski also said that the approved state aid for the national carrier is of BGN 230 million only to cover previous debts. The same amount as an advance payment will be sought from the airport concessionaire.
Source: Dnevnik (16.06.2017)

Bulgarian railways operator BDZ to fully repay debt to EUROFIMA by end-July Bulgaria's state-owned railways operator BDZ said on Tuesday it intends to fully repay its debt to the European Company for the Financing of Railroad Rolling Stock (EUROFIMA) by the end of July. BDZ Holding has repaid 5.5 million levs ($3.2 million/2.8 million euro) of its debt to EUROFIMA on July 4, while the remaining 13.65 million levs will be repaid by the end of the month, the company said in a statement. Last month, transport minister Ivaylo Moskovski said Bulgaria will provide a 224 million levs interest-free loan to BDZ after the country received regulatory approval for state aid from the European Commission. The funding for BDZ is planned to come from the proceeds of a future concession contract for Sofia International Airport. BDZ's outstanding debt totalled 350 million levs in June, Moskovski said at the time. After the company repays part of its debt, a procedure for acquiring new rolling stock will be launched, Moskovski added. Switzerland-based EUROFIMA, established in 1956, is a supranational organization that aims to support the development of rail transportation in Europe. - See more at: https://seenews.com/news/bulgarian-railways-operator-bdz-to-fully-repay-debt-to-eurofima-by-end-july-574642#sthash.E0LGOxdz.dpuf
Source: Capital (05.07.2017)

An Austrian logistics company has been building a new logistics center in Bulgaria An Austrian cargo-partner logistics company has begun building a new logistics center near Sofia Airport, which should be ready by mid-2018. The company has announced that it is a key element in the warehouse expansion strategy around the world. The investment amounts to BGN 13 million and according to plan it will create more than 30 new jobs. The company’s plans include an expansion of the team by another 30 people by 2020. The logistics base has a capacity of 22 000 pallet spaces located in more than 16 500 square meters of storage space. 2000 sq. m. are planned for office space. The logistics center will operate together with the existing 10,000 sq. m. warehouse that the company has been using since 2015. The logistics center will have the opportunity to store valuable, dangerous and under customs control, large shipments and spare parts. (Gradat.bg)
Source: Other (07.09.2017)

The concession of Sofia Airport can be restarted within two months The concession of Sofia Airport can be restarted within two months, Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski said. The airport marks 80 years since its inception. "We are currently negotiating with the three banks that we want to assist in the analyzes and concession procedures - the World Bank, the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. As soon as the negotiations are over, we will announce the procedure, "the minister said. From the comment it became clear that the advance payment, which the managers insist on, will be adjusted in order to be directed towards the rehabilitation of BDZ.
Source: investor.bg (14.09.2017)

"Capital Daily" quotes a mid-September decision of the Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) that the concession award procedure for Plovdiv Airport can continue with two candidates. On the grounds that the disadvantages would outweigh the benefits, the CPC rejected Silk Road Plovdiv Airport's request that the procedure should be suspended. The consortium was excluded from the competition in July because it had not provided proof it owns assets of at least 20 million euro. Prinz Von Preussen Capital Limited (registered in Bulgaria) is the lead partner in the consortium with a 75 per cent stake. The CPC refused to suspend the procedure because the applicant failed to prove that it could damage his interests irreversibly. The two candidates still in the race are China's HNA Group and Bulgaria's Consortium Plovdiv Airport.
Source: Capital (26.09.2017)

Lufthansa Technik Sofia opens new hangar, multi-purpose building Lufthansa Technik Sofia, a provider of civil aircraft maintenance and repair services, said on Thursday it has opened a new hangar and a multi-purpose building at the Sofia Airport, becoming the largest Lufthansa Technik unit in Europe. The investment in the expansion project amounted to 35 million euro ($42 million) and was provided by Lufthansa Technik and its joint venture partner Bulgaria Airways, the company said in a statement. "The expansion will lead to an increase in the number of production lines and a development of the centralized activities that Lufthansa Technik Sofia performs throughout the Lufthansa Technik Aircraft Base Service Network. This means an increase in production capacity by 60%, or a total of 1 million man-hours per year, and will generate a 30% increase in staff in Sofia, to 1,300 people," Lufthansa Technik added. The Lufthansa Technik Group, with more than 30 subsidiaries and associates and over 26,000 employees worldwide, is one of the leading providers of technical services for the aviation industry. Lufthansa Technik Sofia is a joint venture between Lufthansa Technik, which holds an 75.1% stake, and Bulgaria Air owner Bulgarian Aviation Group.
Source: Monitor (27.10.2017)

The concession procedure for Sofia airport starts again The concession procedure for Sofia airport is restarted with updated data. This was made clear by the Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski after a meeting of the Council of Ministers. He explained that a consultancy agreement with the World Bank and the EBRD was signed last week to complete pre-concessional analyses. All documentation will be reviewed alongside the 2015-2016 analyses, which are basically technical data for traffic and legal analysis. The procedure will be restarted with the completion of the analyses. According to him, the principle of advance payment by the concessionaire will be preserved, as well as the principle of having an annual concession fee, and the existence of investments. Everything built during the concession will be treated as a public-state property.
Source: econ.bg (31.10.2017)

Bulgaria to relaunch Sofia Airport concession tender in Feb Bulgaria's transport minister Ivaylo Moskovski said on Tuesday the government plans to relaunch next month a tender for awarding concession to run Sofia International Airport, local media reported. The government hopes to receive bids by end-June, online media outlet Investor.bg quoted transport minister Ivaylo Moskovski as saying. In June 2016, the transport ministry launched a tender for a 35-year Sofia Airport concession contract, seeking at least 550 million levs ($314.1 million/281.4 million euro) as a one-off upfront payment. The tender was cancelled in April 2017 by Bulgaria's caretaker government which said the concession will lead to a rise in airport charges and a decline of passenger traffic. The deadline for submitting bids was extended four times before the caretaker government cancelled the tender.
Source: investor.bg (10.01.2018)

Concessionaires to Invest Over EUR 160 Mln in Plovdiv Airport The consortium between the Chinese investor HNA Group and Plovdiv Airport Invest will invest double than what was initially planned in the concession, and over a shorter period of time, it transpired from a meeting between Transport, Information Technology and Communications Minister Ivaylo Moskovski and representatives of the consortium, the Transport Ministry reported Friday. According to the concession's initial option, a total of 79,083,000 euro were to be invested over the course of 35 years in Plovdiv Airport. The concession agreement is to be signed after the legal procedures are concluded. The Chinese investors have familiarized Moskovski with their plans for the Airport's development. They plan on turning it into a serious transport hub with one passenger and two cargo terminals, which will be able to process a large number of trucks. The landing strip will be extended and reinforced and an aircraft maintenance facility, like the one at Sofia Airport, is planned to be built. The Israel Aerospace Industries company has already shown interest in operating the facility. Moskovski informed the Chinese investors about the plans to connect the Airport to the Sofia-Plovdiv-Svilengrad railway. Construction of the 4-5 km-long railway section could start as early as next year. The Bulgarian Transport Minister has also made a commitment to assist with the extension and overhaul of the road infrastructure leading to the Airport, so that its connectivity with the Plovdiv-Assenovgrad road and the Trakia and Maritsa motorways can be improved. Opportunities for financing under the Juncker Plan will be examined for these projects. Moskovski noted that this is the first large transport project in Bulgaria to be implemented with the participation of a Chinese company. HNA Group's representatives assured that they will consider cooperating in order to attract other Chinese companies to invest in Bulgaria. HNA Group is involved in numerous industries including aviation, real estate, financial services, tourism, logistics, and others. Its assets are estimated at USD 145 billion, and the revenue, at more than 90 billion dollars annually. The company employs more than 410,000 people worldwide. HNA Group manages 14 air carries with more than 1,250 aircraft, 13 airports with more than 1,000 domestic and international services, which carry more than 100 million passengers annually. Each calendar year, the concessionaire will make a payment consisting of a fixed and a variable part. The fixed amount is 600,000 leva (VAT excluded), while the variable amount will be 6 per cent of the total net revenue from all activities for the year, related to the utilization of the site under concession.
Source: econ.bg (21.05.2018)

Government Postpones Aid to BDZ in Order to Find Comprehensive Solution The government postponed approving additional payments from the central executive budget to the Transport Ministry budget which would finance a loan to Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ), Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov said. The reason for the postponement is that a comprehensive solution to the problem will be sought in the next 10 days or so, Goranov said, adding that intensive negotiations are underway with BDZ's creditors. The aim is to achieve a better result for BDZ regarding a 2007 bond loan. "Talks are going on about whether the creditors could make some concession," he said. Taking a journalist's question, the Finance Minister said he is ready to support a bidding procedure for new rolling stock for BDZ, but he added that it will be good if the procedure is conducted on the same day as the bidding for the Sofia Airport concession. He hopes the government considers the Sofia Airport concession in the next two or three weeks. Goranov noted that the proceeds which BDZ earns through its services cover only 20 per cent of its costs. The rest is paid for with taxpayers' money.
Source: Sega (07.06.2018)

Bulgaria's government said it approved a decision to open a tender for awarding a concession contract for operation of Sofia International Airport. The decision was drafted by the transport minister the government said in a statement. The government provided no further details. The initial procedure for awarding a 35-year concession contract was launched in 2016 but was cancelled by a caretaker government in April 2017, due to claims that the concession will lead to a rise in airport charges and a drop in passenger traffic.
Source: Capital (28.06.2018)

Bulgaria to seek 600 mln euro investments from future Sofia Airport concessionaire Bulgaria will seek at least 600 million euro ($699.3 million) investments in Sofia International Airport from the company which wins the forthcoming tender for awarding a concession contract for the airport, the minutes from the government's meeting on Wednesday show. In addition, Sofia Airport's concessionaire will have to make an annual payment of 10% of the total revenue generated from the airport's operation, but not less than 15 million levs, transport minister Ivaylo Moskovski said during the meeting, according to the minutes. During the meeting on Wednesday, the government approved the transport minister's proposal to open a tender for awarding a concession contract for operation of Sofia International Airport. The concession fee will carry the highest wight in the procedure for selecting a concessionaire, of 55%. The remaining 45% will depend on the presented development plan, business plan, financing plan, general strategy, traffic estimates and capital expenditure. The requirements for the potential candidates include having a net asset value of at least 200 million euro throughout the last three year and operating at least one international airport with an annual traffic of over 10 million passengers. In June 2016, the transport ministry launched a tender for a 35-year Sofia Airport concession contract, seeking at least 550 million levs ($326.7 million/281.2 million euro) as a one-off upfront payment. The tender was cancelled in April 2017 by the then caretaker government, which said that the concession woild lead to a rise in airport charges and a decline of passenger traffic. After the current coalition government took office in May 2017, transport minister Ivaylo Moskovski said it intends to relaunch the tender and use the revenue from the concession to provide aid to indebted state-owned railways operator BDZ Holding. "Until another source of financing presents itself, I will continue to follow the initial plan to use the funds from the airport concession to finance BDZ," Ivaylo Moskovski said at the time. Following Moskovski's commitment to relaunch the procedure, German airport operator Fraport announced it was still very interested in winning a concession contract for operating Sofia Airport. In 2006, Fraport Twin Star Airport Management, a 60/40 joint venture of Fraport and Bulgarian company BM Star, won a 35-year concession to manage the two airports. According to latest available statistics from the airport operator, passenger traffic at Sofia Airport rose by an annual 7.6% to 600,000 in April. Take-offs and landings at Sofia Airport totalled 5,274 in April, up 11% year-on-year. Cargo volume increased by 9.1% year-on-year to 1,770 tonnes in April. In 2017, Sofia Airport serviced 6.49 million passengers, up 30.3% year-on-year.
Source: Capital (02.07.2018)

Bulgaria provides 53 mln euro state aid to railway operator BDZ Bulgaria's government said on Wednesday it decided to extend 103.7 million levs ($61.7 million/ 53 million euro) of reimbursable aid to state-owned railway company BDZ Holding to help it repay outstanding debt to bondholders. The financial aid should be repaid by the company by December 28, 2020, the government said in a statement following a weekly meting. BDZ will use the aid to cover outstanding obligations on its 2007 bond issue. In 2007, BDZ successfully placed a 10-year, 120 million euro bond carrying a floating interest rate of three-month EURIBOR plus a premium of 3.5% on an annual basis. On Tuesday, BDZ said it has reached an agreement with its creditor banks on the repayment of the bond, as a result of which the sale of company assets has been terminated. Last month, Bulgarian newspaper Capital reported that part of a landmark historic building in Sofia where BDZ Passenger Services is headquartered, has been put up for sale by a private enforcement agent for a starting price of 7.3 million levs. Deputy transport minister Velik Zanchev said in May that the Sofia City Court has frozen 40 million levs in bank accounts held by BDZ Passenger Services, a unit of BDZ Holding, after the company failed to make payments on its 120 million euro bond.
Source: Sega (05.07.2018)

Bulgaria opens tender for awarding 35-year concession of Sofia Airport Bulgaria has opened a tender for awarding a 35-year concession contract for the operation of Sofia International Airport, the transport ministry said on Thursday. The total estimated value of the contract is 3.9 billion euro ($4.6 billion), the transport ministry said in a tender notice. The deadline for submitting offers is October 22. Last week, transport minister Ivaylo Moskovski said Sofia Airport's concessionaire will have to make an annual payment of 10% of the total revenue generated from the airport's operation, but not less than 15 million levs. The concession fee will carry the highest wight in the procedure for selecting a concessionaire, of 55%. The remaining 45% will depend on the presented development plan, business plan, financing plan, general strategy, traffic estimates and capital expenditure. The requirements for the potential candidates include having a net asset value of at least 200 million euro throughout the last three year and operating at least one international airport with an annual traffic of over 10 million passengers. In June 2016, the transport ministry launched a tender for a 35-year Sofia Airport concession contract, seeking at least 550 million levs ($326.7 million/281.2 million euro) as a one-off upfront payment. The tender was cancelled in April 2017 by the then caretaker government, which said that the concession woild lead to a rise in airport charges and a decline of passenger traffic. After the current coalition government took office in May 2017, transport minister Ivaylo Moskovski said it intends to relaunch the tender and use the revenue from the concession to provide aid to indebted state-owned railways operator BDZ Holding. At the time, German airport operator Fraport, which currently operates the Bulgarian coastal airports of Varna and Burgas, announced it was still very interested in winning a concession contract for operating Sofia Airport. On Wednesday, the government decided to extend 103.7 million levs of reimbursable aid to BDZ Holding.
Source: Capital (06.07.2018)

Parliament Supports Sofia Airport Concession Parliament rejected the Bulgarian Socialist Party's (BSP) draft motion to terminate the activities for awarding Sofia Airport under concession with 59 to 95 against and seven abstentions. BSP and Volya voted in favour of terminating the procedure. GERB, the United Patriots and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms voted against or abstained, which in practice supports the Airport's concession. Transport, Information Technology and Communications Minister Ivaylo Moskovski, who was in Parliament during the debates, urged the political forces to support the Airport's concession, explaining that GERB is delivering on its election campaign promise. According to him, the Socialists are rejecting a normal European practice for managing airport infrastructure.
Source: National radio (19.07.2018)

Bulgarian state railways open 345 mln euro tender for supply of passenger railcars Bulgarian state-owned railways company BDZ Passengers opened a BGN 675 million tender for the supply of 42 passenger railcars, it said on Friday. The assignment also calls for technical support for a period of 15 years, BDZ said in a public procurement notice. The deadline for submitting offers in the tender is October 12. Bids will be ranked according to price and quality criteria. Last month, Bulgaria's transport ministry opened a tender for awarding a 35-year concession contract for the operation of Sofia International Airport and said it will use part of the proceeds from the concession to finance indebted BDZ. The estimated value of the concession contract is EUR 3.9 billion.
Source: Banker (20.08.2018)

IFC will be a consultant for the concession deal at Sofia Airport The International Finance Corporation (IFC) will co-operate with the Bulgarian Government in structuring and conducting an auction for the concession of Sofia Airport. This was announced by the press office of the World Bank. IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and the cooperation agreement will be implemented in partnership with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The estimated cost of the airport is for EUR 3.898 billion, or over BGN 7.6 billion. The government launched an open, competitive tendering procedure on July 5, 2018. In a concession, the government grants the private partner only the right to run the airport. All airport infrastructure and assets remain public property, including everything built by the concessionaire during the concession. The concession at Sofia Airport will include the construction of Terminal 3. The annual remuneration due for each year of the concession period amounts to not less than BGN 15 million excluding VAT or 10% of the total amount of total revenue from all activities. The concessionaire will be obliged to invest a minimum of EUR 600 million in the airport infrastructure for a period of 35 years, as well as to guarantee payments to the state of BGN 550 million upon assuming airport management.
Source: investor.bg (22.08.2018)

Manchester Airport Group is the First Official Candidate for the Concession of Sofia Airport A first candidate officially announced its intention to apply for the concession at Sofia Airport. This is the British airport operator Manchester Airport Group, which along with its partner in the face of the Chinese Beijing Construction Engineering Group will participate in the procedure, it became clear at a press conference today in the Sofia. MAG currently operates three airports in the UK - Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands, serving a total of 60 million passengers annually in over 270 destinations and 70 airlines. Their partner for the Bulgarian concession, BCEG, is in the top 250 of global contractors and one of its main projects is Daxin Airport in Beijing. "Sofia is the city with the most underdeveloped potential," said Andrew Harrison, Group Chief Executive Officer. According to him, the company has no other interests in the region than to win the concession for the Bulgarian airport, which guarantees its desire to develop it. His statement comes in the context of the Belgrade airport concession procedure in which MAG "refused to participate". He pointed out that traffic for London's Stansted Airport grew by 45% and Manchester in 35% for 5 years. He did not go on to share plans for Sofia, but outlined three main reasons for wanting to invest in Bulgaria. The first is that tourism is growing and Sofia is a "crown jewel" in this regard. The second is the excellent geographic location of the capital, which makes it close to the East. In his words, Sofia airport should not be in the shadow of the Turkish one, but on the contrary - to develop its own network for direct flights. Harrison also pointed out the possibility of investment and returns at the airport itself. The company, however, refused to share specific plans for the development of the airport. According to Charlie Hornish, Chief Executive Officer, Sofia Airport does not need a third runway soon, as well as a third terminal. Here, it is worth recalling that in the concession conditions there is the construction of such new facilities. It will be for 35 years and its total cost is estimated at nearly 3.9 billion euros. One of its conditions is that the future concessionaire will invest a total of ˆ 600 million, and MAG has just mentioned such a number of planned investments. On the question of what competition they expect for the concession, the operator indicated that interest was from Turkey, France and Germany.
Source: Monitor (04.10.2018)

Cargo-partner with a logistics base for EUR 20 million and a tendency for expansion The Austrian transport and logistics company Cargo-partner presented its first logistics center in Sofia - the iLogistic center, which is located near Sofia Airport. The investment is worth EUR 17 million. However, the company continues to expand by purchasing 30 decares of land worth EUR 3 million in September, and another hall for the company in Bulgaria will be built on it. Cargo-Partner has two warehouses for rent in Druzhba and Novi Han and two administrative buildings in Plovdiv and Varna. The company has started the negotiations for a possible investment in Bulgaria as early as 2015, and at the end of 2017 the start of the construction of the base was given. In July this year the project was finalized and the capacity of the warehouse is almost full. The Austrian company has been on the Bulgarian market since 2003. It includes two halls, the second (4,500 square meters) has a direct railway connection, which is to be repaired and used. The Sofia Center employs 116 own employees as well as between 30-40 workers from external agencies providing staff. For 2017, the consolidated turnover of the company is BGN 40 million, with a growth of 10% for this year. /Economic.bg
Source: Other (11.10.2018)

DHL is opening its first logistics center in Bulgaria International giant courier services DHL has opened its first logistics center in Bulgaria. It is located in proximity to Sofia Airport and is as close as possible to the slopes, which will help optimize the company's activities. The project is on the ‘build to suit’ principle as the base is built upon DHL's requirements. It was built by the subsidiary company of Bulgaria Airways Group – Bulgaria Air Maintenance. The investment amounts to about BGN 15 million, the executive director of Bulgaria Airways Group explained. The new building spreads over an area of over 10,000 square meters and employs more than 300 employees. The project was implemented in response to the growing numbers in orders the company has to process and it has no analogue in the country at the moment. The largest such automated systems are located in the main distribution hubs of DHL in Leipzig (Germany), Brussels (Belgium), East Midlands (UK), Bergamo (Italy), Cincinnati (USA), Hong Kong (China). DHL Express Bulgaria also invests in its regional network, and for three years the offices in Plovdiv, Bourgas, Montana and Veliko Tarnovo have been completely renovated. /economic.bg
Source: Other (18.10.2018)

Part of the money from the Sofia Airport concession will go to BDZ Part of the money from the Sofia Airport concession will go to BDZ and the railway infrastructure, the MPs decided. By law, the income from privatizations and concessions must go to the Silver Fund, but in this case an exception is made. To finance the state railways company with the money from the concession was talked about in the last year. The Executive Director Vladimir Vladimirov specified that the concession should increase the capital in the amount of the state aid granted. At the moment, however, the company is in collapse. The concession of Sofia Airport is a concession of a mixed nature, as the construction of a new airport terminal at the expense of the concessionaire is envisaged, in addition to the provision of services related to the operation of an airport. Construction must be completed by the tenth year of the term of the concession.
Source: Other (30.11.2018)

Bulgaria Extends Bid Deadline for Sofia Airport Tender Again The deadline for bids in the tender for the 35-year concession on Sofia Airport has been postponed again, to February 5. The deadline extension was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on December 26, 2018. The delay affects all the deadlines for the next stages of the process, but no other changes to the tender documentation has been made, the notice said. This is the third time that the deadline for bids has been postponed, with the Transport Ministry saying in October it was pushing the deadline back by one month to November 22 2018. A week before that deadline, the ministry once again pushed it back, this time to January 29. On both occasions, it did not give a reason for the delay. Called in July 2018, this is Bulgaria’s second attempt to pick a concessionaire for Sofia Airport.
Source: Standart (03.01.2019)

Bulgaria’s Transport Ministry has postponed the deadline for bids in the tender for the 35-year concession on Sofia Airport for a fourth time, to April 3 2019. The previous deadline was February 5, but the Transport Ministry initially sought to receive binding bids by October 22 2018, which was pushed back to November 22 and, later, to January 29 2019. Previously, the ministry gave no reasons for its decisions to postpone the deadline, but this time it said that the delay had been requested by interested bidders. Called in July 2018, this is Bulgaria’s second attempt to pick a concessionaire for the country’s largest air hub. The first process, launched in 2016 by the previous government of Prime Minister Boiko Borissov, also saw several delays before it was scrapped by a caretaker government in March 2017. The arguments for calling the tender off closely mirrored those put forward by the opposition socialists, who claimed that it was against the state’s interests to offer the airport on concession. The Cabinet wants to use the large up-front concession fee from Sofia Airport – at least EUR 550 million– on the country’s ailing state railway BDZ, settling its outstanding debts and to purchase new rolling stock.
Source: econ.bg (04.02.2019)

MAG reaffirms interest in Bulgaria's Sofia Airport concession The UK's Manchester Airports Group (MAG) on Tuesday reaffirmed its plans to submit an offer in the Bulgarian government's tender for awarding a 35-year concession contract to run Sofia Airport. "We were ready to file out offer in Sofia today, but we support the new timeframe and we will work until the new deadline," Andrew Harrison, MAG's airport services CEO, said in a statement. Bulgaria's transport ministry said last week that it has extended, for the fourth time, the deadline for submitting offers, to April 3. The decision is based on requests by candidates and has been coordinated with the advisors on the procedure - the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the ministry said. MAG has not asked for an extension of the deadline, the company noted. The estimated value of the concession contract is 3.9 billion euro ($4.5 billion), the transport ministry said in August when the tender was launched. Manchester Airports Group operates three airports in Great Britain - Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands. The combined annual passenger traffic of the three airports totals nearly 60 million.
Source: investor.bg (06.02.2019)

Bulgarian Eagle ceased operations The Bulgarian Eagle (Bulgarian Eagle) airline operator, which is registered in Bulgaria, has ceased operations following the bankruptcy of Germania Group owner, AeroPress reports. On March 7, 2019, the manager of Bulgarian Eagle EOOD filed a petition to the Sofia City Court for a declaration of insolvency of the company as of 5 February of this year and the opening of insolvency proceedings was sought. This is due to liabilities amounting to a little over BGN 12.7 million to companies belonging to the German Group, which were insolvent in February and have been appointed as assignee, and the obligations in question are subject to a requirement. Bulgarian Eagle was created in the summer of 2017 by Germania Group, and the idea was for the operator to specialize in the urgent letting of wet-leased aircraft for short periods. The operator has two leased Airbus A319 - LZ - AOA and LZ - AOC.
Source: Standart (27.03.2019)

A consortium of Manchester Airports Group (MAG) and China's Beijing Construction Engineering Group (BCEG) filed a bid in a tender for a 35-year concession contract to run Bulgaria's Sofia Airport worth an estimated EUR 3.9 billion. The consortium's offer envisages the construction of a third terminal at the airport, as well as the development and reconstruction of the existing two terminals. The deadline for submitting offers in the tender expired 14:30 local time on Thursday. Manchester Airports Group operates three airports in Great Britain - Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands. The combined annual passenger traffic of the three airports totals nearly 60 million.
Source: Monitor (12.04.2019)

Sofia Airport reported a profit of BGN 12.6 million for the past year Sofia Airport has recorded a profit of BGN 12.6 million for 2018, which is 10.8% more than a year earlier. This became clear from the published airport report shortly before the bidders' tenders were opened. For the previous year the revenues of the company amounted to BGN 168 million, which is by BGN 20.9 million, or by 14.2%, more than those for 2017. The main revenue growth of the airport comes from the revenues from sales - BGN 109.4 million, which increased by 15.6%. The remaining BGN 58.8 million are from fundings. Actual fees for the past year amounted to BGN 106 million. Of these, the most significant part (BGN 37.9 million) was a security charge, a landing charge of BGN 33.4 million, and a passenger fee of 30 million. The last year's report of Sofia Airport shows that it served 11.3% fewer aircrafts a from a year earlier. The rest is for its competitors - the Bulgarian subsidiary of the Greek Goldair Handling and the Chimimport-related Swissport Bulgaria. In 2013, Chimimport, through its aviation division, Bulgarian Airways Group bought a minority shareholding in Swissport Bulgaria, which since 2007 tried to develop a business with its own power at the metropolitan airport, but has encountered a number of problems.
Source: Capital (09.05.2019)

Experian Bulgaria invests over 3.5 mln euro in relocation to new office Experian Bulgaria, a unit of Irish-based global IT services provider Experian, has invested over USD 4 million in relocation to a new office under a five-year lease, aiming to improve its operational performance. The new office, spreading on an area of 11,600 sq. m., is located in the Space Tower building close to Sofia Airport. Some 1000 employees of Experian Bulgaria are already working there. More than 20% of Experian's analytical capacity is based in its Bulgarian office. Experian provides analytical services and risk management solutions. It entered Bulgaria in 2004 and opened a research and development centre in Sofia in 2008. The company has offices in 37 countries and employs more than 16,000 people.
Source: Capital (13.05.2019)

French-German Consortium Wins 35-Year Concession for Sofia Airport Bulgaria has selected a consortium comprising Munich Airport operator as concessionaire of Sofia Airport, local media reported. The SofConnect consortium comprising French-registered Meridiam Eastern European Investments and the Munich Airport operator will run Sofia Airport for 35 years and will build a third terminal by the end of the 10th year of the concession contract, private bTV channel reported. The consortium has offered to pay a concession fee of EUR 24.5 million per year and invest EUR 608 million in Sofia Airport.
Source: Monitor (18.07.2019)

Two companies appeal the concession of Sofia Airport Two complaints have been filed to the Commission for the Protection of Competition against the choice of Sofconnect consortium with Munich Airport Operator for concessionaire of Sofia Airport. They came from Mag Overseas Investment Ltd and Airports de Paris SA. Airports de Paris is part of the Group ADP consortium and the Turkish TAV Havalimanlari Holding A.S., which was ranked second in the procedure. MAG Overseas Investments Ltd is the leading partner in the other Vitosha consortium, which remained fourth. The winner's plan provides for EUR 24.5 million per year for state remuneration and EUR 608 million for investment (plus the requested initial payment of all BGN 550 million). The CPC now has to react, which, after initiating proceedings, must ask the Ministry of Transport within three days to provide all the documentation for the concession procedure. Within this time, the regulator must prepare an opinion as to whether it wants a pre-performance of the contract, meaning the complaints not to stop signing the contract.
Source: Banker (29.07.2019)

All four unsuccesful bidders in the tender for a 35-year concession contract to run Sofia Airport have filed complaints against the Bulgarian transport ministry's ranking of the offers. UK's MAG Overseas Investment and Aeroports de Paris (ADP) filed complaints on Friday, while Fraport Bulgaria and Swiss-based SSB Sauerwein & Schaefer Bau challenged the ranking on Monday, according to data published on the website of the Commission for Protection of Competition. Earlier this month, Bulgaria's transport ministry ranked as the best offer the bid submitted by the Sof Connect consortium led by French investment firm Meridiam Eastern Europe Investments, with Flughafen Munchen named as airport operator. The consortium's offer was awarded 86.12 points out of a maximum score of 100 points. The winning consortium offered to pay a concession fee of EUR 24.5 million per year for the duration of the contract and pledged to make investments of EUR 608 million in Sofia Airport.
Source: mediapool.bg (30.07.2019)

Sof Connect presented the vision for the development of Sofia Airport The French-German consortium Sof Connect presented its video concept for the development of Sofia Airport in the coming decades. The vision of the company, selected by the transport ministry to run the airport for the next 30 years, is to make the airport a reflection of the city itself and its surroundings and make travelers feel immersed in Bulgarian culture. Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 will be redeveloped and the consortium will use the opportunity to create an authentic sense of place. According to the plan, more usable space will be created at both terminals. Passenger service will be improved to maintain and strengthen the airport's reputation for efficiency and convenience. The reconstruction of Sofia Airport will provide attractive buildings, new facilities, intuitive guidance and cutting-edge technologies. Airport pre-travel tools and services, offered by airlines and partners, will be created and launched on the airport website.
Source: economic.bg (11.11.2019)

The CPC confirmed the choice of Sof Connect as a concessionaire at Sofia Airport The Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) dismissed the complaints of four unsuccessful applicants for concession at Sofia Airport. In July, a Sof Connect consortium was appointed as a concessionaire of the Sofia airport, with the Meridiam fund, the Austrian construction company Strabag and the operator of Munich Airport. The concession fee offered by the consortium amounted to BGN 24.54 million. The French-Turkish consortium between Airport De Paris and TAB Havalimanlari Holding came second, and Fraport Bulgaria, which is a concessionaire at Varna and Burgas airports, was ranked third. The fourth is the British-Chinese consortium Vitosha between the airport operator Manchester Airport Group and the British division of China's Beijing Construction Engineering Group. The consortium strategy for Sofia Airport is to be implemented in four stages and involves the construction of a third terminal, which should be ready by 2030.
Source: investor.bg (18.11.2019)

Final: Sofia Airport concession money will not go to pensions The initial concession fee of BGN 550 million, which the state should receive from the winner of the concession tender for Sofia Airport, will not go to the so-called Silver Fund for pension system support, as generally mandated by the Law on Sta State Fund for Guaranteeing the Stability of the State Pension System (SFGSSPS). This was decided by the deputies at the second, final, reading of the state budget bill. The idea for the scheme has been around for a long time and was enshrined last year - in the 2019 budget. The government's goal is to use that money to pay off BDZ's debts. However, no concession payment has been made yet - at present, the decision to select SofConnect association as winner is in the Supreme Administrative Court because of the appeals of other participants. The initial appeal in the CPC was left without result by the antitrust commission.
Source: Club Z (06.12.2019)

Munich Airport's position and interest in Sofia Airport have not changed The concession of Sofia Airport is about to be finalized at an extremely difficult time for world aviation. The unprecedented crisis in the air market over COVID-19 will surely bring about major changes in the air, such as airline bankruptcies, consolidations and huge challenges for the airport, which have left almost no passengers. SOF Connect was selected as a future concessionaire at Sofia Airport, with participation in the 99% investment fund Meridiam and Strabag (1%), while Munich Airport has a special commitment to SOF Connect as a third party airport operator. The winner was announced on July 17, 2019. There followed a massive appeal to the CPC auction by all other bidders - the merger between Airport de Paris and TAV, the operator of Frankfurt Fraport Airport; ranked fourth - Manchester Airport and their Chinese partner; and Construction and Investment SSB with Copenhagen. The procedure is now at appeal level in the Supreme Administrative Court, with a hearing scheduled for May 7. In the context of the current aviation crisis, the Ministry of Transport has conducted an unofficial survey of the candidates to confirm their interest. The ministry did not provide further information as to who gave up, but according to Capital sources, it is likely to be a merger between the construction and investment SSB and Copenhagen Airport. In fact, the reason for the Ministry's consultation is that a year has passed and the bids have expired, the candidate's representative explained. Capital sought the winner for comment on the current aviation crisis and their interest in Sofia Airport.
Source: Capital (28.04.2020)

The concession of Sofia Airport has been signed The Minister of Transport and Information Technologies Rosen Zhelyazkov signed the concession contract for Sofia Airport. The concessionaire procedure was won by the Sof Connect consortium, with Munich Airport operator, which includes German, French and Austrian companies. The investments of the concessionaire will amount to not less than EUR 608 million for the term of the concession - 35 years. The aim will be improving and perfecting the level of service at Sofia Airport, ensuring reliability, accessibility, maintenance, safety, security, health and the environment. The Sof Connect consortium was selected by the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications as a concessionaire at Sofia Airport last summer. As early as July, however, the other four bidders who had submitted bids for the Sofia Airport concession - Manchester Airports Group, Airport de Paris, Fraport Bulgaria and SBB Sofia Airport, appealed to the Commission for Protection of Competition. (CPC).
Source: investor.bg (23.07.2020)

The EBRD is considering financing the modernization of Sofia Airport with EUR 85 million. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is considering financing the modernization of Sofia Airport with EUR 85 million. The borrower is the concessionaire of the airport SOF Connect AD - concept, managed by the French investment fund Meridian (99% share) and the capital based in Austria. The loan money will be used to "modernize and upgrade the country's strategic airport infrastructure." It will be part of a larger credit line worth EUR 250 million, provided jointly with other international financial institutions and commercial banks. The financing will support the participation of the private sector in the infrastructure sector in Bulgaria. The financial institution adds that the loan will provide long-term financing of projects for a long-term infrastructure asset, which is not easily accessible in Bulgaria by local or international commercial banks in the current crisis market environment. "Given that the project will be the first large-scale infrastructure concession in the country, the EBRD's presence in the process is key to ensuring successful implementation," the bank said. The contract to award the 35-year concession to Sofia Airport was signed in July, after a year earlier SOF Connect was ranked first among applicants wishing to operate the airport. Under the contract, the consortium is to invest EUR 608 million in the airport. At the signing of the document, the company revealed that it plans to build Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 in order to improve their operational efficiency. Terminal 1 will be renovated and Terminal 2 will be upgraded. The security check and the passport control for international flights will be enhanced with additional filters. The number of passengers at Sofia Airport decreased by nearly 60% on an annual basis to 259 thousand in September.
Source: economic.bg (29.10.2020)

SOF Connect has asked to acquire part of Sofia Airport The new concessionaire of Sofia Airport - the company SOF Connect - has started the procedure for acquiring part of the capital of the airport. Currently, the company Sofia Airport EAD is 100% owned by the Ministry of Transport, but according to the concession agreement signed in July this year, the private company can, and third parties, can acquire up to 40% of the airport. SOF Connect's intention is understood from an application to the Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) to rule on the forthcoming concentration. According to the contract, the new concessionaire can acquire part of the airport operator within five years of its entry into force, and can subsequently transfer it to a third company - as long as this "reassigned" share does not exceed 20% and the company is a financial institution. Each new shareholder is subject to approval by the Ministry of Transport. Written statements on the transaction and its impact on market competition will be accepted in the CPC's office within seven days from the date of publication of the notice, after which the antitrust authority must issue a final decision. The contract for the assignment of the 35-year-old concession at Sofia Airport was signed in July, and a year earlier, the COF Connecticut was selected from the candidates wanting to manage the airport. The delay was due to complaints received by the CPC from other participants in the competition for the concession. The commission described them as unfounded, but the case was transferred to the Supreme Administrative Court (BAC), which, at the beginning of June, confirmed the commission's position. The investments of the concessionaire will be in the amount of not less than EUR 608 million for the term of the concession - 35 years, it was announced by the Ministry at the signing of the contract. They will be allocated to improve and enhance the level of service at Sofia Airport, ensure reliability, reliability, accessibility.
Source: economic.bg (03.11.2020)

Sofia Airport drastically raises fees The management of the still state-owned Sofia Airport EAD sent letters to the airlines informing them that it was opening the "process of consulting the amount and system of airport charges", which should come into force on January 1 and be valid until December 31 2021. This is done practically two months with a delay compared to the traditional date for their announcement - August 31. The published appendices show that a drastic increase in the fare for departing passengers is proposed (ie - in short "Passenger Fee") - from January 1 for a departing adult passenger on international routes it jumps by 60.3 %. Apparently, in order to stimulate domestic traffic, the airport management is setting a lower fee increase for departing passengers to Varna and Bourgas. For the use of the facility up to 60 minutes the fee increases by 56 euros - (47.8%). For parking in an operational parking lot during the day it falls by 48.5%, and at night - by 45%. The parking fee in the long-stay areas during the day is also reduced by almost 30%, and the parking fee in the same areas at night is kept unchanged. As a result, the planned revenues from "Landing Fee" and "Parking Fee" for next year are respectively EUR 12.244 million and EUR 2.370 million less than in 2019, which means that the costs of airlines for them will fall by a total of EUR 14,614 million. The amount of airport taxes for next year is based on the trends of air and passenger traffic in 2018-2019, the expected implementation of 2020, compared to the plan made a year ago, as well as a short-term forecast for 2021. The attached reports show that with 63 012 landings and take-offs planned for 2020, they are now expected to reach only 38,183, which is a decrease of nearly 39%.
Source: Banker (04.11.2020)

The CPC authorized the concession of Sofia Airport The Commission for Protection of Competition (CPC) has allowed the SOF Connect consortium to become a concessionaire at Sofia Airport and to manage it for the next 35 years. The decision enters into force immediately, but its legality can be appealed before the Sofia Administrative Court - within 14 days. The concession agreement was signed in July at the Ministry of Transport, but in order to enter into force, it must first be approved by the antitrust regulator. If it sees a risk to competition, the CPC has the right to block any transaction. However, the Commission sees no problem in this case. Here are the facts of its decision: SOF Connect AD was established on July 2 with a capital of BGN 50,000, distributed between three funds - Meridiam Investments, Meridiam Eastern Europe Investments, Meridiam Infrastructure Europe III, and the Austrian construction company Strabag. The criticism during the concession procedure was that there was no airport operator in this partnership as a shareholder. The explanation of SOF Connect AD was that in the management of the Sofia airport it will partner with Munich Airport, which had a contract with the Bulgarian Ministry of Transport for a period of at least 12 years. According to the annual activity report of Sofia Airport EAD, its revenues for 2029 exceed BGN 230 million.
Source: Sega (27.11.2020)

Fasten your seat belts. Sofia Airport departs from the country 'We have a ruling from Brussels that there is no state aid.' This was stated on Thursday by the Minister of Transport Rosen Zhelyazkov. Translated, this means that the European Commission has given the green light to changes in the deal for Sofia Airport and very soon the state facility will have a private owner. Concessionaire of Sofia Airport - the Meridiam fund, requested and apparently received in the last minute a large Covid discount - not to pay EUR 24.5 million in concession fees per year for the first 10 years of the 35-year contract, but to pay them in the last 10. The concession contract was signed on 22 July 2020. The whole procedure lasted about two years. However, the topic became very relevant only in the final steps, after it became clear that the parameters of the concession are changing at the moment. The story in brief, the two-year flight of the airport to its private owner passed on the fast and comfortable state runway with a clear favorite. The ministry chose the Paris-based Meridiam fund, although there were stronger bids, then the CPC and the SAC quickly confirmed the government's choice. For dessert, the winner received a long ten-year vacation for concession payments. The only reassurance is that the chance of someone managing the airport worse than the state is very small. And the certain fact - the Bulgarian taxpayer will be temporarily deprived of almost half a billion BGN in budget revenues.
Source: Capital (15.03.2021)

Sof Connect will immediately pay BGN 660 million for Sofia Airport Sof Connect, the concessionaire of Sofia Airport, is increasing its investments in the project, although due to the pandemic the aviation business has shrunk to the level of 1995. This was assured by Marco Rosso - a partner in Meridian, Director of Global Business Development and member of the Supervisory Board of Sof Connect. Meridian is the leading partner in the consortium that won the concession. The Austrian-based Strabag and Munich Airport, which will be the operator of the airport in Sofia, also take part in it. The total amount of investments increased from EUR 608 million to EUR 624 million, without any change in the commitments under the contract. The clause for the construction of a new terminal 3 until the tenth year remains. We are ready to immediately give BGN 660 million to the state, which is the initial payment, Rosso said. The contract with Sof Connect stipulates that the consortium will give the state EUR 24.5 million annually, or 32% of total revenue. Sof Connect will improve the airport's operations and infrastructure and suffer the adverse effects of the pandemic. He was adamant that Meridian does not intend to give up the concession of Sofia Airport.
Source: 24 chasa (22.03.2021)

The trustees of Corporate Commercial Bank start paying another BGN 250 million to the depositors From next Tuesday (March 30), the trustees of the bankrupt Corporate Commercial Bank will start paying another BGN 250 million to the bank's creditors. The amount is included in the fourth partial account for distribution of accepted receivables and represents almost entirely the EUR 125 million received from BTC in May last year. They were part of the financing by the bank controlled by Tsvetan Vassilev to acquire a majority stake in the telecom in 2012, and after the bank closed, there were a number of lawsuits blocking the payment of the amount over the BTC control dispute. According to the account published in the Commercial Register, the amount is distributed among over 7,000 depositors in CCB who have unsettled receivables. These are mainly persons who had more than BGN 196,000 in a deposit in the bank, as those with smaller amounts received their funds from the Bank Deposit Guarantee Fund (BDGF) at the end of 2014. Apart from them, however, the list also includes those who were on privileged terms, as well as those who acquired receivables through assignments, as well as those who found themselves again as creditors of CCB after the cancellation of concluded assignments. The most significant part of the amount - BGN 189 million, will be directed to the BDGF, which after the payment of guaranteed deposits for about BGN 3.7 billion has become the largest creditor of CCB. Some state and municipal companies, which were among the largest depositors in the bank at the time of its closure, will receive more substantial sums. For example, Toplofikacia Sofia will be able to receive BGN 4.6 million, Bulgartransgaz - BGN 3 million, Airport Sofia "- BGN 1.47 million, BDB over BGN 1 billion and others. The list itself is published in the Commercial Register on the account of CCB. As with the previous accounts, the payment of the amounts is serviced by Unicredit Bulbank. A list of branches is published on the CCB website, where each creditor can receive the amount allocated to him. The money can be withdrawn, transferred to an account in Unicredit Bulbank or another bank. With this, the funds already paid by CCB will exceed BGN 1 billion.
Source: Capital (29.03.2021)

DHL's cargo division is building a new base for BGN 9 million next to the airport DHL's logistics division has begun construction of a new base near Sofia Airport. The project is to be completed by November 2021 and will cover 12,309 square meters. The investment is over BGN 9 million. DHL works with two companies on the Bulgarian market - the courier DHL Express Bulgaria and the forwarding and logistics division DHL Logistics Bulgaria, both of which are part of the Deutsche Post DHL Group. The new base will be located on the site of the old warehouse of DHL Logistics Bulgaria, located on the eastern tangent of the capital. There is currently a construction site for the construction of a new and larger base, and the company is temporarily operating in Novi Han. The land is not owned by the company, and the base will be built specifically for the needs of the forwarder on the principle of "build to suit lease". It will have a cross-dock with an area of ??800 sq. m, an administrative part of 1200 sq. m and a storage hall of 3000 sq. m. In the hall with a clear height of 11.70 sq. m will be high-rack storage of transport pallets, which is supplemented from the possibility of "side-loading". The cross-dock includes an "inbound" area with 6 ramps, an "outbound" area with 5 ramps, including a level-level ramp type 'Jumbo'. The entire site includes 4500 square meters of maneuvering areas, 11 loading and unloading ramps, parking for 44 cars and 8 vans, and the landscaping is planned to be over 35% of the total area of ??the plot. The revenues of DHL Logistics Bulgaria for 2019 (the last one with a published report) are a little over BGN 60 million, the profit is BGN 530 thousand, and the employees are a little over BGN 100. The courier division has a turnover of almost BGN 70 million (probably increased in the last year), a profit of over BGN 1.7 million and over 400 employees.
Source: Capital (30.03.2021)

Post-election GERB appointed a new head of Sofia Airport On Monday afternoon (April 5), the new head of the company, Hristo Handjiev, was officially introduced to the employees of the airport administration. Until now, Handjiev was the director of the Security Directorate - the same one that was previously headed by the current head of the airport, Vladimir Rapondjiev. So what else if not full continuity is this appointment talking about hours after the election? In fact, it was with the "smooth transition" motive that the new management team was introduced to the employees. Very little is known about Hristo Handjiev himself - that he is close to the former director Rapondjiev, as well as that he graduated in law.
Source: Banker (06.04.2021)

Former ministers will oversee Sofia Airport The Sof Connect consortium, which is now the official owner of Sofia Airport, presented in a press release the Supervisory Board, which will monitor the good management of key infrastructure. The contract for the 35-year concession came into force yesterday, after Sof Connect made the entrance fee - BGN 660 million. The deal was finalized despite fierce criticism from government opponents for inexplicably bowing to the consortium by delaying regular annual concession fees by 10 years. The reason of the Council of Ministers is that the aviation market is in crisis. Among the supervisors are the names of two Bulgarians who are known for their participation in previous governments - Iliana Tsanova and Philip Gunev. The rest are foreigners. Tsanova was Deputy Prime Minister in two caretaker government - of Marin Raykov and Georgi Bliznashki, and Philip Gunev as Deputy Minister of Interior in the same two governments, as well as in the Borisov 2 cabinet.
Source: Sega (21.04.2021)

The concession at Sofia Airport brought the treasury to a slight surplus The state budget came out with a slight surplus of BGN 115 million at the end of April, after a deficit of BGN 619 million was reported in March. This is shown by the data of the Ministry of Finance, as they are preliminary for April. In the first quarter of the year, the government made a record BGN 11.967 billion in expenditures - 25% more than in the same period of 2020, which opened a hole in the treasury at the beginning of the year. In April, it was already filled mainly thanks to a one-time advance payment of BGN 660 million by the concessionaire at Sofia Airport. The resigned Minister of Finance Kiril Ananiev explained the higher expenses with the measures for dealing with the COVID pandemic for over BGN 1.3 billion in the first three months of the year. However, it also includes expenses that have nothing to do with the coronavirus, but are purely pre-election moves by GERB - for example, the monthly supplement of BGN 50 for pensioners since August and the 10% increase in salaries of all employees in the budget sphere of the year. In April, budget expenditures continued to grow, outpacing revenue growth. In the first four months of the year, BGN 16.545 billion were spent compared to BGN 12.991 billion a year earlier. The increase in expenditures compared to last year is over 27%, while budget revenues increase by 12%. The significant increase in spending in the first four months of 2021 compared to the same period of the previous year is due on the one hand to the lower base in 2020, when there are significantly lower costs to combat the pandemic than COVID- 19, points out the Ministry of Finance.
Source: Sega (05.05.2021)

Jesus Cabayero is the new CEO of SOF Connect, according to the company, which is a concessionaire at Sofia Airport. He has 17 years of experience in airport management, 12 of them as managing director. He has been part of the management of the airport hubs in Madrid and Barcelona, ??the much-preferred by passengers airport in Malaga and CEO of Melilla and Seville airports. There is also a change in the supervisory board of SOF Connect JSC, where Thierry Deau, executive director of Meridian and its current member, will replace the current chairman Iliana Tsanova from September. She takes over the post of Deputy Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Budget.
Source: 24 chasa (09.07.2021)

Chimimport has received another cheap property at the airport from the state A company controlled by Chimimport has acquired from the state another property in the area of ??Sofia Airport. The deal for 27,508 square meters with Bulgaria Air Maintenance was finalized on January 18, 2021 at an average price of EUR 101 per square meter - a price declared unrealistic back in 2008 with a similar deal of the triple coalition. As Sega wrote, the decision to sell the land directly to Bulgaria Air Maintenance without holding a tender was taken by Boyko Borissov's cabinet on September 18, 2020. The government referred to the Investment Promotion Act, which allows the sale of land without a competitive procedure for certified investors. The project envisages the expansion of the existing aircraft repair and maintenance base operated by Lufthansa Technik on the ground, and a new part for the organization of maintenance. According to the contract, the investor should put the site into operation within 3 years of signing with an investment of BGN 27 million. The project must be maintained for at least 5 years after the completion of the investment, and at least 80% of revenues must be from the declared economic activity.
Source: Sega (12.07.2021)

EIB provides EUR 40 million for the modernization of Sofia Airport The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Sof Connect AD, a special purpose vehicle, majority owned by Meridian, have signed a 40 million-euro loan agreement for the modernization of Sofia Airport. Funding is supported by the European Commission's Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). EIB financing will support the modernization of infrastructure and components for regulatory activity, safety and security according to the latest standards. The project will improve the efficiency of airport facilities, including energy efficiency components and ensure state-of-the-art environmental protection. Sofia International Airport is part of the main Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) in a convergence region. It is among the busiest airports in the Balkans and one of the largest in Central and Eastern Europe, doubling the number of passengers between 2013 and 2019. Bulgaria has awarded a 35-year concession agreement for the development, modernization, maintenance, management and operation of the airport. The EIB loan is fully in line with the Climate Bank Roadmap, which was approved in November 2020.
Source: money.bg (14.07.2021)

EBRD investing 74.3 mln euro in Sofia airport concessionaire The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said on Tuesday that it will support the development of the international airport in Bulgarian capital Sofia through an indirect equity investment of 74.3 million euro ($88.3 million) in airport concessionaire SOF Connect. The total investment consists of 58 million euro equity investment and a further 16.3 million euro contingent equity exposure, the EBRD said in a statement. "We are delighted to support the development of Sofia airport as a key infrastructure asset for Bulgaria. Together with our partners, we view this as a market-based solution, with a view to achieving sustainable development," Anca Ioana Ionescu, EBRD director for Bulgaria, said in the statement. The equity investment is a follow-up to a 50 million euro loan provided to SOF Connect earlier this year to support the airport’s transformation, the bank added. In July 2020, Bulgaria's government signed a contract for a 35-year concession for the development, upgrade, maintenance, management and operation of Sofia airport with SOF Connect, a consortium led by French investment firm Meridiam and also comprising Austria's Strabag and the operator of Munich airport. The consortium has pledged to invest at least 624 million euro throughout the duration of the concession, including the construction of a new Terminal 3, as well as make environmental, health and safety upgrades. The European Investment Bank (EIB) said last month that it signed a 40 million euro ($47 million) loan agreement with SOF Connect for the modernisation of Sofia airport. The EIB loan will be used to finance improvements to the airport's existing facilities and operations, rather than investment in airport capacity expansion, in line with the EIB Climate Bank Roadmap approved in November.https://seenews.com/
Source: Banker (04.08.2021)

Sofia Airport lowers 99% flight fees from America and Asia The concessionaires of Sofia Airport - SOF Connect starts work on a program that will expand traffic and attract intercontinental flights. For this purpose, airlines carrying passengers to or from North America and Asia will be given a 99% discount on the landing fee. This was announced by the management of the airport. Another priority is to turn the airport into a regional hub, with a 60% discount for regular passengers on regular international and domestic routes. The discounts for the air carriers are for the period October 1 - December 31, 2021, but the term can be extended for 2022. For the development of tourism, the stimulation of the Bulgarian economy and the connectivity of the regions SOF Connect provides incentives for domestic flights. Carriers with regular passenger lines to Burgas and Varna will enjoy a discount of a landing fee of 70% and 90% respectively. SOF Connect plans to reduce the fee for parking aircraft.
Source: Sega (19.08.2021)

Sofia State Airport to merge with Plovdiv Airport The state company Sofia Airport will merge into Plovdiv Airport. This proposal is planned to be made by the Minister of Transport Georgi Todorov, as he stated during his hearing before the Parliament on the topic of the concession at Sofia Airport. "According to the Law on Public Enterprises, I made a request to the Agency for Public Enterprises and Control for permission to merge Sofia Airport into Plovdiv Airport. The merger implies as a consequence all assets to be transferred to Plovdiv Airport in one with all cash on accounts ", announced Todorov. Sofia Airport is currently 100% state-owned. After the concession of the airport, it lost its functions as an airport operator, but has certain assets such as the resort "Cosmos" and Balchik Airport. The funds in its accounts were about BGN 60 million. The Minister of Transport explained that the merger of the company into the other, managing Plovdiv airport, will prevent the possibility of squandering its funds and assets. At the same time, at the moment there are no investors willing to take the concession for the Plovdiv airport. Before the crisis, the state refused to sign a contract with a Plovdiv union, ranked second after a Chinese candidate (then represented by current Finance Minister Asen Vassilev).
Source: Capital (20.08.2021)

About BGN 30 million will be invested in Plovdiv Airport The solution to move arriving and departing passengers at Plovdiv Airport is the creation of a new bus line with the route Rodopi bus station - Plovdiv Airport, said the regional press center after a working meeting in connection with the need for public transport for passengers, organized by the regional governor Angel Stoev. The idea is for the new line to be regular, with a schedule in accordance with the arriving and departing flights. The provision of public transport is also necessary due to the stated intentions of the low-cost company Wizz Air to organize flights to and from the cities of Luton, Dortmund and Memmingen, which are expected to start on November 3 this year. Thus, Plovdiv Airport will handle ten flights a week, which means about 6,000 passengers a month. Adding the expected winter charter flights, the need for transport is becoming more and more noticeable, said the regional governor. He recommended that the airport announce a competition for taxi companies on the model of Sofia Airport, which would complement the service. "About BGN 30 million are expected to be invested in improving the infrastructure, including the construction of a cargo terminal, which the airport does not currently have," said Lachezar Milenchev, executive director of Plovdiv Airport.
Source: Banker (03.09.2021)

The merger of the company, former operator of Sofia Airport, into Plovdiv Airport has started A procedure for merging the state company Sofia Airport SPJSC into another state-owned company - Plovdiv Airport SPJSC has started, the Minister of Transport Georgi Todorov told journalists at the Council of Ministers. The procedure is long, in several stages, and will last six months, he said. The merging company was the operator of Sofia's airport, but after its concession to SOF Connect it remained without activity. Its assets include the airport in Balchik, and its accounts have over BGN 100 million, Minister Todorov said some time ago. The purpose of the merger of the former state operator of the Sofia airport in the company that operates the Plovdiv airport is to strengthen it, as it costs the budget BGN 2 million a year. In addition, this operation does not require the liquidation of the Sofia company, which would send the money to the state budget.
Source: 24 chasa (16.09.2021)

The report on the cash execution of the state budget has been approved The Government approved the information on the cash execution of the state budget and the main indicators of the consolidated fiscal program for the first nine months of 2021. The budget balance under the Consolidated Fiscal Program (CFP) on a cash basis as of September 2021 is positive in the amount of BGN 1067.8 million (0.8% of the projected GDP) and is formed by the excess of revenues over expenditures under the national budget in the amount of BGN 1218.3 million and a deficit in European funds in the amount of BGN 150.4 million. Revenues, grants and donations under the CFP as of September 2021 amount to BGN 37840.1 million or 74.8% of the updated annual estimates. Compared to the same period of the previous year, the revenues as of September 2021 increased by nearly BGN 5.4 billion (16.6%). The growth compared to the previous year is due to higher tax and non-tax revenues, which increased by nearly BGN 5.4 billion, while aid revenues are close to those reported for the same period in 2020.
Source: Banker (11.11.2021)

Some 3.3 Million Passengers Serviced by Sofia Airport in 2021 Sofia Airport has serviced a total of 3,364,151 passengers in 2021, which is 14.5 per cent more compared to a year earlier, but still 52.7 per cent less than during the pre-pandemic 2019, the Airport said in a press release here on Sunday. COVID-19 impacted the aviation industry severely and the figures show the sector's slow recovery. While according to Eurostat, Bulgaria is among the EU countries with a smaller decline in flights at the end of 2021, the figures for Sofia Airport show that the passenger recovery is less than 50% compared to 2019, when the capital's airport served over 7 million passengers. Passenger traffic on international scheduled routes increased by 12.9 per cent compared to 2020, while domestic passengers went up by 50 per cent. If, however, the data is compared with 2019's, a serious decline of 55.1 per cent for international passengers and 30.8 per cent for those travelling on domestic routes is observed.
Source: Sega (17.01.2022)

Sof Connect is at a loss of EUR 30 million from the management of Sofia Airport Sof Connect had a loss of EUR 30 million last year due to the negative impact of the pandemic. This was stated by Jesus Cabayero, CEO of Sof Connect, during a hearing in the Transport Committee. Forecasts for 2022 are also not optimistic due to the war in Ukraine and high prices for aviation fuel. Under the concession agreement, Sof Connect has to invest EUR 4.1 million in the airport in the first year of the concession. The deputies wanted to know whether the Ministry of Transport has imposed a sanction for non-implementation of investments. Cabayero did not answer directly how much they have invested so far in the airport, but explained that their commitment is to invest EUR 43 million over the next 5 years. Only after this period, if the concessionaire has not fulfilled the terms of the contract, it can be sanctioned. The promised third completely new terminal at Sofia Airport will be able to start operating in 2030. The project should be ready in a year and a half, and the actual construction should start in 2025-2026. However, until that happens, Sof Connect will have to completely renovate Terminal 2.
Source: economic.bg (25.03.2022)

Dufry will be the operator of the shops at Sofia Airport Sofia Airport has signed a contract with Dufres for its operation in commercial areas for a period of eight and a half years. The company was selected following an international tender and will operate a total of thirteen stores. The transformation of the commercial area of ??the largest international airport in Bulgaria is part of the concept of the airport operator SOF Connect to improve the travel experience. The first store will have an area of ??1800 square meters, and travelers will pass directly through it (walk-through) before reaching their flight exit. The other store with an area of ??170 square meters is designed for arriving passengers. In the renovated retail space, passengers will be able to choose from world-famous brands, new products and exclusive offers. Strong emphasis will be placed on the range of Bulgarian products that reflect the taste of the country and acquaint the guests of the capital with the traditions of Bulgaria.
Source: economy.bg (21.04.2022)

Sofia airport operator will invest another BGN 56 million over five years Over BGN 140 million will be invested in the first five years of the concession by the operator of the Sofia Airport SOF Connect with the initially planned EUR 43 million (BGN 84 million). This was announced by the executive director of the airport Jesus Cabayero at a press conference, quoted by the press service of the airport. The manager confirmed that the transformation of Terminal 2, which is part of the company's strategy, is imminent. The process envisages an increase in the capacity to provide service to the flights performed so far by Terminal 1. According to him, the company's mission is for Sofia Airport to become a five-star regional airport by 2028. Cabayero reminded that a few weeks ago a contract was signed with the state company Sofia Airport and SOF Connect already has rights to the project for repairing the parking lot of Terminal 2. A tender procedure has been announced and 20 construction companies have already expressed interest. A contract with the selected construction company is expected to be signed in July. Sofia Airport will have a new logo, and a complete rebranding of the capital's airport is forthcoming in the spirit of the company's new corporate identity.
Source: investor.bg (22.06.2022)

A hotel, a supermarket, a medical center and an entertainment area, a special device for the purification of waste water from airplane toilets, less use of water and energy - these are some of the innovations planned at Sofia Airport, it can be seen from the plans of the concessionaire SOF Connect", which has submitted a request to the Ministry of the Environment and Water (MoEW) to assess whether it is necessary for them to undergo an eco-assessment. The concessionaire of the airport - "SOF Connect", which includes the French investment fund Meridiam, owning 99% of the capital, and the Austrian construction company "Strabag", which holds a 1% share of the company, promises to invest in the modernization of the strategic site, which was given to a concession at the end of the third government of Boyko Borisov, i.e. in April 2021. On July 7, "SOF Connect" submitted a request to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications to assess whether it is necessary to carry out an eco-assessment of the concessionaire's plan for the development of the airport. This document provides the implementation of the plan should take place in several phases - the first should be completed by 2025, and the last - in the period 2041-2055. The concessionaire assures the MoEW that the airport development plan complies with environmental requirements, energy efficiency, the promotion of sustainable development, including in relation to the purchased, leased or rented equipment, materials, parts and vehicles that can be powered by climate neutral fuels . It is also promised that all technical upgrades at the airport will be aimed at achieving climate-neutral activities of all companies and operators.
Source: Dnevnik (16.07.2022)

The traffic of "Sofia Airport" in July is still below the levels before COVID-19. Over 3.2 million passengers have served the capital's airport since the beginning of the year. Although the optimism in the figures is great, unfortunately the forecast for the whole of 2022 is not so favorable, the company notes. Expectations are for over a 23% drop in the total passenger flow on an annual basis compared to 2019 at Sofia Airport. The decrease in total passenger traffic in July at Bulgaria's largest international airport was less than 10% compared to pre-pandemic 2019, and the total number of passengers served was 601,434. International scheduled flights were 551,182, or a drop of 9.92 per cent. Passengers on domestic flights were 31,104, which is almost 13% less. Growth in international charter flights was observed for another month. In July, 14,959 preferred destinations to which there are no regular flights from Sofia Airport. The total number of flights also decreased by nearly 12% compared to 2019. According to the data of the capital airport, a total of 5,100 aircraft movements were registered for the period. One of the biggest declines since the beginning of the year was seen in cargo and mail handled – 1,667 tons for July. This is over 22% compared to the data from 2019.
Source: Banker (16.08.2022)

Sofia Airport with a certificate for a safe health zone Sofia Airport confirms its commitment to passengers and visitors to offer service according to the latest hygiene and health standards. After the summer of pandemic 2021, this is the second time the capital airport has been certified as a health-safe environment by the Airports Council International (ACI). The certificate is based on the procedures of authoritative international organizations such as ICAO and EASA, while also taking into account the good practices of health organizations in the European Union. The certification recognizes the efforts of Sofia Airport in implementing hygienic and organizational practices to ensure the health and safety of passengers, guests and employees. Activities such as cleaning and disinfection, ensuring social distance, health control, active communication of the applied measures among the interested parties are only part of the airport practices that have entered the scope of the evaluation process.
Source: economy.bg (07.09.2022)

The number of passengers at Sofia airport is still below the levels of 2019. Almost 1 million fewer passengers compared to 2019 were served from January to September this year. Statistics show that for the period, the number of passengers was 4,457,749. The summer months are traditionally stronger, but in September, passengers start to decrease, Sofia Airport reminds. A total of 600,668 people passed through the capital's airport in the ninth month of the year. This is 3.5% less than those who traveled during the same period of 2019. International scheduled flights were used by 531,565 people, which is about 6 percent less than in 2019. Domestic travelers were 22,928 in number, a drop of almost 18 percent. The data on charter flights are good - in September of this year they were 48 percent more than in the period before the pandemic. Aircraft departures and landings in September were 5,087, down 8% from 5,532 in pre-pandemic 2019, airport data showed. A drop of more than 17% was also observed in processed postal and freight shipments, which in September 2022 totaled 1,612 tons.
Source: BTA (11.10.2022)

The Ministry of Transport announces competitions for managers in 9 enterprises The Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTS) announced competitions for the selection of members of the management bodies in 9 public enterprises. Tenders are announced for enterprises in which, at the moment, members of the management bodies are appointed without a tender procedure. . A new representative in the Board of Directors of "Port of Burgas" EAD, as well as two members of the board of "Bulgarian Maritime Qualification Center" EAD, will be elected by competition. The five members of the Board of Directors of "Holding BDZ" EAD will be determined by competitive procedure. For three of them, the procedure will be conducted by the Minister of Transport and Communications, and for two - by the Agency for Public Enterprises and Control. The same rules apply in the competition for the election of five members of the board of "Bulgarian Post" EAD. One member of the board of directors of "Communication construction and reconstruction" EAD, as well as three representatives of the state in "Transport construction and reconstruction" EAD, "Sofia Airport" EAD and "Plovdiv Airport" EAD will be determined by competition. A competition for three members of the Board of Directors has been announced for the newly established company "Bulgaria Heli Med Service" EAD.
Source: mediapool.bg (20.10.2022)

Sofia Airport is reporting fewer passengers compared to pre-pandemic levels A total of 569,426 passengers passed through the capital's airport in the tenth month of the year. This is 4.35% less than in 2019. There were also fewer travelers on international regular lines – 512,268, which is more than a 6% difference from 2019. The number of passengers who passed through Varna and Burgas airports was 17,632, which is a drop of nearly 14 percent. The best performance was seen in charter passengers, which in October were almost 37% more than before COVID-19 and totaled 31,773, airport data showed. Aircraft departures and landings in the tenth month of the year totaled 4,945, which is 6.5% less than in pre-pandemic 2019, when they were 5,290. Mail and cargo shipments handled in October 2022 totaled 1,742 t , which is a drop of over 22 percent.
Source: BTA (21.11.2022)

BGN 10 million will be invested in IT transformation of the capital airport The main information system of Sofia Airport will be completely replaced in the coming months. Global IT companies, including Bulgarian ones, can express interest until December 2 and submit bids until December 23, 2022. The Airport Operations Management System - AOMS is the backbone of the airport's digital processes. It covers the activities of flight check-in, gate management, guest lounges, aircraft stands, flight information and many other operations on the territory of the airport related to passenger, aircraft and baggage services. The new system will enable significantly more efficient management of resources and will replace a large amount of outdated manual processes that are currently performed. This is another large IT system for which the airport is announcing an international tender as part of its digital transformation plan worth over BGN 10 million.
Source: Banker (29.11.2022)

Sofia Airport reports 10% fewer passengers for November compared to 2019. Nearly 472,000 passengers passed through Sofia Airport this month. Over 10% is also the drop in those traveling on international lines, which in the past month were just over 444 thousand. The most serious is the decrease in domestic flights, which are almost 18% less compared to November 2019. In this month, over 15 thousand passengers traveled to Varna and Burgas. The best results were recorded for travel on international charter lines, where statistics show a growth of over 15%. The drop of nearly 16% is also observed in processed postal and freight shipments.
Source: actualno.com (16.12.2022)

Sofia Airport concluded a contract for the construction of 3 temporary and 1 permanent outdoor parking lots with "Glavbolgarstroy". The value of the order is slightly over BGN 5 million. The contractor company was selected in a competitive tender procedure with international participation. The selected contractor is expected to complete the parking lots in no more than 247 days after construction begins. The open car parks will have a capacity of 100 to 500 spaces and some of them will fulfill the needs of passengers while the covered car park of Terminal 2, which has been in a bad condition for years, is under renovation.
Source: money.bg (23.12.2022)

Sofia Airport served 6,003,653 passengers in 2022, which is significantly more than last year, but also over 1 million passengers less than in 2019, Sofia Airport reported. International scheduled flights in 2022 were 5,461,290, down 17% compared to 2019. There were 232,260 flights to our maritime cities, down 18%. Charter passengers for the period increased by over 15% and totaled 250,521. The top destinations for the past year were London, where over 400,000 people traveled, Frankfurt with over 140,000 passengers and Vienna with approximately the same number of passengers. A drop of over 14% was also observed in the handled cargo and mail, which for the past year was 20,529 tons.
Source: National radio (11.01.2023)

"Biodit" has concluded a contract with "SOF Connect" for the construction of a biometric system "Biodit" AD has concluded a contract with "SOF Connect" AD for the construction and commissioning of a biometric system for reporting working hours. "SOF Connect" has been the operator of Sofia Airport since the end of April 2021. At the end of December, the company signed a contract with the "Murgavets" hotel for about BGN 30,000. At the beginning of December, the company announced that it will equip the mixed-use complex "Samelion", which is being built in Samokov. The project is located on an area of 60 thousand square meters. The revenue from this contract will be more than the company's annual revenue for 2021, but the company has not disclosed exactly how much it will be. Earlier in the year, two Spanish hotels re-signed their contracts for the Biodit hotel solution for a period of 5 years.
Source: investor.bg (18.01.2023)

The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Sofia Airport concessionaire company "Sof Connect" signed a ˆ40 million loan agreement for the modernization of the capital's airport. The financing is supported by the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) of the European Commission, the bank reported. The allocated funds should support the modernization of infrastructure and components for regulatory activity, safety and security according to the latest standards. The losses generated in 2021 were in the amount of BGN 60 million, as a result of the pandemic.
Source: money.bg (20.01.2023)

Sofia Airport invests BGN 20 million in a new baggage system Sofia Airport will get a new Baggage Handling System (BHS). The investment is for over BGN 20 million and includes the delivery, installation and maintenance of the most modern solution for passenger baggage management, reports the press center of the concessionaire "Sof Connect". The system will be provided by the French consortium Alstef Group. The project is part of the overall transformation of the airport, for which we are investing over BGN 150 million until the end of 2025," said Jesus Cabayero at the signing of the contract. With the commissioning of the new BHS, Terminal 2 will be able to handle a significantly higher number of passengers. The introduction of the system is part of the airport's development plan, which will allow Terminal 2 to handle all traffic from the nearly 70-year-old Terminal 1 building.
Source: economic.bg (29.03.2023)

Sofia Airport reported an increase in passengers compared to last year A total of 1,579,346 people traveled from and to Sofia Airport in the first three months of the year, which, despite the increase compared to 2022, is still less compared to the same period of 2019, the press center of the airport reports. The number of passengers served at the capital's airport in March reached 567,267, which is also below the levels of 2019. Flights on international scheduled routes for the period totaled 530,823. A decline was observed in domestic flights to Varna and Burgas, where statistics show over 23 % less passengers or 15,530. Those who chose to travel by charter flights also continue to be significantly below the levels of 2019. In March, the number of charter flights from Sofia Airport was 16,917, which is a drop of nearly 21%. Departures and landed planes at the capital's airport in March were 465, which is 5% or 259 planes less compared to the data before the pandemic. A decrease was also observed in the processed freight and postal shipments in the third month of the year, where the decrease was almost 13% compared to 2019 and amounted to 1,806 items.
Source: BTA (10.04.2023)

The Bulgarian architectural and engineering company IPA will design the reconstruction of Terminal 2 of the capital's airport. The company will partner with the French architectural bureau 1PAX, authors of the terminal's conceptual design, and with consultants from EGIS Avia. IPA was selected after a tender procedure announced in November last year. Sofia Airport's transformation strategy includes a complete reconstruction of Terminal 2 to accommodate traffic from the nearly 70-year-old Terminal 1. The project includes the delivery of a completely new baggage handling system, doubling the capacity of check-in counters for flights, remodeling of hand luggage and border control areas, creation of a new duty-free commercial area of almost 2,000 square meters, a new concept for food establishments, installation of additional sleeves for boarding planes and a number of other improvements. The concessionaire's plans envisage the construction of the new Terminal 3 by 2030.
Source: Dnevnik (28.04.2023)

1,579,346 people traveled through Sofia Airport in the first 3 months of 2023. A total of 1,579,346 people traveled to and from Sofia Airport in the first three months of the year, which, despite the increase compared to 2022, is still less than the same period in 2019. A total of 614,402 traveled through Sofia Airport in April , which is almost equal in number to the same period in 2019. Despite the growth, total passenger numbers since the beginning of the year are still below pre-pandemic levels. Domestic travelers in April remained 15% less than before the pandemic. Last month, 17,843 passengers flew to Varna and Burgas, which is a drop of more than three thousand people. By 19% less were processed freight and postal shipments for the period compared to 2019.
Source: 24 chasa (09.05.2023)

Air travel from Sofia Airport has almost reached pre-pandemic levels Passengers traveling by air transport from Sofia Airport continue to grow and are already closely approaching the levels from before the pandemic - but they remain below them in the month of May as well. The number of passengers who passed through Sofia Airport in May 2023 was 612,485. Airport figures show this is almost 4% less than in May 2019. The fifth month of the year saw a total of 5,279 aircraft take offs and landings, only about 3% less than the same month in pre-pandemic 2019. d. 19,702 passengers flew to our seaside cities of Varna and Burgas from Sofia Airport in May, which is about 15% less than the figure before Covid-19. The data shows a 40% increase in those choosing to fly on international charter flights - a total of 29,827 passengers in May. In our country, as well as on a global scale, air freight transport cannot yet catch up with the decline during the pandemic. In May, Sofia Airport processed a total of 1,621 tons of cargo and postal shipments, which is 15% less compared to the levels of 2019.
Source: money.bg (16.06.2023)

Sofia Airport is still catching up to 2019 flight levels. 13% fewer flights to Varna and Burgas in July compared to the same month in 2019, reports the operator of Sofia Airport. The total number of passengers to the seaside towns for the month was 31,125, or about 4,600 less than before the covid pandemic. In July, Sofia Airport served a total of 662,440 passengers, with a decrease in travelers compared to 2019 levels again. 608,722 people flew on international scheduled routes, or 0.5% less compared to 2019. A decrease was also recorded during solo movements. A total of 5,660 aircraft taking off and landing were handled in July, down 2% from 2019. Cargo and mail were also far from pre-pandemic levels, recording a 23% drop or a total of 1,658 tonnes handled. The trend of growth of passengers traveling on charter flights is maintained. 1,757 people flew with them, which is a 32% increase compared to the period before COVID-19.
Source: news.bg (11.08.2023)

"Biodit" will build a system to control the working hours of "Swisport Bulgaria" The automation company "Biodit" JSC has concluded a contract with "Swissport Bulgaria" - the subsidiary of the Swiss Swissport, which provides ground handling at airports. "Biodit" will introduce a system to manage and control the working hours of the employees of "Swisport Bulgaria". In Bulgaria, "Swisport Bulgaria" provides ground handling at the airports in Sofia, Burgas and Varna. The company's employees in the country are more than 350 people. Earlier this year, Biodit concluded contracts with the commercial chain Billa Bulgaria and the new concessionaire of Sofia Airport, SOF Connect, for the construction of working time management systems. The company will produce car protection devices for Ind Commerce, the importer of Hyundai for Bulgaria, as well as equip a number of hotels, including the Utopia Forest complex, hotels in Burgas and other resort towns. "Biodit" reported a loss for the half year due to a drop in revenues.
Source: investor.bg (21.09.2023)

"SOF Connect" will renovate the covered parking of "Terminal 2" for BGN 24.5 million SOF Connect and GBS-Infrastructural Construction signed a contract for the renovation of the covered parking lot at Terminal 2 of Sofia Airport. The project is worth nearly BGN 24.5 million and its implementation is of strategic importance for the development of the airport. Renovation work on Terminal 2's four-story covered car park will begin in 2024 and will take about a year to complete. In the meantime, GBS-Infrastructural Construction is expected to complete the construction of the open parking lot with a capacity of over 1,000 spaces. Thus, passengers at Sofia Airport will have the opportunity to park in the open parking lot until the renovation of the closed one is completed. As a final result of the realization of the two projects, Terminal 2 will have a total of almost 1,900 parking spaces. The company GBS-Infrastructure construction, part of the corporate group of Glavbolgarstroy, is oriented in the construction of large-scale projects in the field of transport and water infrastructure. One of the largest construction projects of the company in recent years is the southern arc of the Sofia ring road, three sections of the Struma motorway, including the bridge at the Zheleznitsa tunnel, built using innovative technology, the section from Slivnitsa to Hrabarsko on the Europa motorway, the new breakthrough along ul. Philip Kutev and others.
Source: 24 chasa (15.11.2023)

The government approved the sale of real estate owned by "Sofia Airport", which is located right next to the airport, at 1 Brussels Blvd. (the intersection before Terminal 1). In the reasons for the decision, it is stated that the property is no longer needed, and the sale is part of Sofia Airport's measures to improve the company's financial situation. A two-story building and warehouses are for sale. It is specified that the land is owned by a private company that has expressed investor interest in purchasing the property. The sale would be carried out at a price not lower than the market value, determined by an independent appraiser. The investor's intentions are to build a training complex for training and maintaining the qualifications of pilots and cabin crew.
Source: Dnevnik (26.01.2024)

The entire territory of "Sofia" airport becomes an object of national importance The Council of Ministers decided that the entire territory of Sofia Airport, which is included in the concession contract, as well as all future renovations and expansions, should be declared an object of national importance. Movable items that have been handed over to the concessionaire and need to be sold or scrapped are also foreseen to be declared private state property. The disposal of them will be carried out according to the established legal procedure and the sales revenue will go to the state budget, the government information service announced. The concession site also includes two new land properties necessary for the implementation of the concessionaire's investment program, the latter of which is agreed in the currently valid concession contract, the government announcement also states.
Source: mediapool.bg (28.03.2024)

The construction of Terminal 3 of Sofia Airport will begin in the first quarter of 2026. Construction of Terminal 3 is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2026, and construction will last 3 years. 7.4 million is the expected number of passengers that Sofia Airport will serve this year. This was stated by Jesus Caballero, the director of "SOF Connect" - the concessionaire of the airport. 7.2 million passengers served Sofia Airport last year, and this year a 1.4% increase in passengers compared to 2019 is expected, Cabayero said. "In terms of passenger numbers, the airport has recovered, but in terms of flights, we are still below the level of 2019. This means that flights are full, but we still suffer from the lack of aircraft in the market, which makes it difficult for airlines. But we can say that the trend is good for overcoming the crisis after the pandemic," he noted. Last year, 31 airlines operated flights to and from Sofia Airport, and this year they will increase by two more. This summer, there will be regular flights from and to 78 destinations, and charter flights from and to 28 destinations. For this summer there will be 4 or 5 new destinations such as Helsinki, Riga, Skiathos, Baku and Bristol.
Source: National radio (29.04.2024)

Bulgaria's aspiration to membership in the OECD and the explicit requirement to improve the management of state-owned companies does not particularly respect the authorities. On the boards of state-owned companies, appointments without competition continue en masse. This is shown in the annual report of the "Public Enterprises and Control Agency" on state-owned public enterprises for 2022. According to the data up to the end of December 2022, three out of three members of the "Information Service" board were elected without competition. 7 of the 7 members of the management of the state enterprise "Management and management of dams" did not go through the competition procedure. 5 out of 5 members of the board of "Bulgargaz" were also elected without competition. In the transport sector, 5 out of 5 members of "Holding Bulgarian State Railways", as well as 3 out of 3 members of the boards of "Sofia Airport" and "Plovdiv Airport", did not go through a public procedure. Competitions were not held for the management of any of the state companies under the Ministry of Sports, as here all board members - a total of 19 people in 5 companies - were elected without a competition. With the rules for implementing the law, it was practically possible to bypass the requirement for a competition with the possibility to appoint temporary holders for a period of up to 6 months. In 2022, state-owned enterprises reported a serious increase in revenues, with 171 of 265 state-owned enterprises reporting a net profit in the total amount of BGN 3.89 billion. Revenues from operating activities reached BGN 32.8 billion - nearly BGN 13 billion more than 2021, with the main contribution coming from the energy sector with total revenues from operating activities amounting to BGN 25.1 billion. The dividend paid into the state by public enterprises in 2022 is BGN 1.524 billion, with the vast majority of it is a payment from BEH - BGN 1.439 billion, including retained earnings from previous years.
Source: Sega (09.07.2024)

The concessionaire of Sofia Airport owes nearly BGN 155 million The concessionaire of Sofia Airport - "Sof Connect" - owes concession fees in the amount of over EUR 79 million (over BGN 154.8 million) only for the first three years of the 35-year concession. The amounts will be paid in two equal installments only in the period 2046-2048. The huge sums will be paid only after about 20-22 years, as shortly after the start of the concession, the outgoing government of Boyko Borisov in the spring of 2021 voted for a 10-year postponement of concession fees due to the pandemic and reduced passenger traffic. We remind you that "Sof Connect" only paid the initial concession fee in the amount of BGN 660 million (over EUR 336.7 million) at the beginning of 2021. The concession fees for the first 10 years of the 35-year concession have been deferred for payment in the last 10 years of her, that is. they are due and payable by the concessionaire from the 26th to the 35th year of the concession term. For the period April 20 - December 31, 2021, the annual concession fee due is in the amount of more than 17.2 million euros without VAT. It will be paid by Soft Connect in two equal installments in the 26th year of the concession term, i.e. only in 2046. For 2022, the annual concession fee amounts to over BGN 27.2 million excluding VAT. It will also be paid in two installments in the 27th year of the concession period, i.e. 2047. For the last year - 2023 - the concession fee due is in the amount of over 34.5 million euros without VAT. The amount is to be paid in two equal installments in the 28th year of the concession period, i.e. in 2048. According to the five-year investment plan (2021-2025), "Sof Knet" has an obligation to invest BGN 143 million (about EUR 73 million). At the end of last year, the realized investments amounted to BGN 49 million (EUR 25 million), and by the end of 2024, their total amount is expected to be BGN 98 million (EUR 50 million). Such intentions were also announced by the concessionaire at the beginning of the year. More than 7.2 million passengers are served in 2023 by the airport, according to passenger flow data. Compared to 2022, this is an increase of 1 million. Before the pandemic - in 2019 - more than 7.1 million passengers were served, i.e. last year, airport traffic normalized and reached pre-pandemic levels. The weakest was 2020 (note - that's when the pandemic broke out in Bulgaria), when just under 3 million passengers were served. In 2018, before the concession, just over 6.9 million passengers passed through the airport.
Source: economic.bg (16.07.2024)

They are creating a Center for training pilots of Airbus 220 aircraft in Sofia A high-tech training complex for training pilots for Airbus 220 aircraft will be built in Sofia's "Slatina" district. The Ministry of Transport received a request from "Velgraf Asset Management" AD for the acquisition of property owned by "Sofia Airport" EAD. In order for the pilot training complex in question to become a reality, the Council of Ministers adopted a decision to declare the property from public state property to private state property and to give consent for its contribution to the capital of "Sofia Airport" EAD - Sofia. The property will subsequently be sold. "Sofia Airport" EAD does not develop activities as an airport operator and the property, subject of investor interest, is not included in the object of the concession. The state has no investment intentions towards it. The sale will be made at a price not lower than market value as determined by an independent appraiser. The property is needed for the construction of a complex and the implementation of simulators for training the qualifications of the pilots of "Bulgaria Air" JSC. The airline has made large-scale investments in the last year, replacing a large part of its fleet with a new generation of Airbus A220 aircraft, which requires upgrading and maintaining the qualifications of employed pilots, according to European aviation safety regulations.
Source: economic.bg (08.08.2024)

The concessionaire is investing BGN 500 million in a new terminal at Sofia Airport, it will be ready in 2031 A BGN 500 million investment in Terminal 3 at Sofia Airport and an increase in passenger capacity to 20 million per year were announced by concessionaires from the French investment fund Meridiam. The new building will be at Terminal 2, with which they will have a warm connection. The terminal will have an area of ??65,000 square meters, the plans are for construction to start in April 2026 and to be put into operation in April 2031. The goals are that this transformation of the capital airport will give it a 5-star SkyTrax certification. the first for a regional airport in Europe. According to the operator of the airport "SOF Connect", the concessionaire's investments in the airport will total BGN 1.2 billion for the duration of the concession, which is 35 years.
Source: 24 chasa (11.09.2024)

Sofia Airport launched the new parking lots with over 1000 spaces Sofia Airport is putting into operation new open-air parking lots with a capacity of over 1,000 spaces. The facilities are located on an area of ??25,000 sq. m. and include spaces for cars of people with limited mobility and charging stations for electric vehicles. The project is worth over 7 million leva. P3 or standard parking has been operating for a month and is suitable for both short-term and long-term stays. P4 or the economy parking lot has also been opened, which will be a budget solution for longer stays. P5 is the parking lot for short-term stops when meeting and sending off passengers, and P8 is specialized for buses that come to meet large groups. The multi-storey covered parking lot is already closed for major repairs. It will also be carried out by Glavbolgarstroy Holding, and the project is worth 25 million leva.
Source: actualno.com (27.11.2024)

The Aviation Training Center of SOF Connect, the operator of Sofia Airport, has received accreditation from the Airports Association of the World (ACI). Thus, the Center is the only one in Bulgaria that will now train aviation specialists from all over the world under ACI programs. The Aviation Training Center of Sofia Airport joins the elite group of 21 accredited ACI training hubs in the world, including those of leading European airports such as Munich, Istanbul and Athens. The Center will organize and conduct, together with the Airports Association of the World and with lecturers provided by them, all training courses from the ACI portfolio, as well as develop programs to enhance the competencies of experts in the aviation sector. The SOF Connect Training Center is licensed by the General Directorate of Civil Aviation Administration and conducts various courses in security, cargo and ground operations, passenger service, safety, etc. With the international accreditation, the Aviation Training Center of Sofia Airport will train specialists from both the region and the world
Source: economy.bg (30.01.2025)

Sofia Airport offers refueling with sustainable aviation fuel In January, 11,369.62 tons of Jet A1 aviation fuel, blended with 2% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), were refueled at Sofia Airport. 1,894 aircraft were refueled with it, which is about 75% of all flights departing from Sofia for the month. “Sofia Airport is establishing itself as a leader in Europe in terms of the use of sustainable fuel. The successful certification of our fuel base, refueling with SAF and the expected savings of hundreds of tons of carbon emissions are clear evidence of our commitment to greener aviation. This is another important step towards the sustainable future of air transport in Bulgaria and Europe,” said Jesus Caballero, CEO of SOF Connect - operator of Sofia Airport. At the end of last year, the certification audit of Sofia Airport’s tanks for the storage and trade of sustainable aviation fuel was successfully completed. SOF Connect started offering SAF refueling in early 2025 and in just one month, over 600 kilograms of carbon emissions were saved, thus the capital airport solidifies its commitment to a greener future and reducing the carbon footprint of aviation. From January 1, 2025, new rules came into force in the European Union, according to which aviation fuel suppliers must provide a minimum of 2% sustainable aviation fuel of the total amount of fuel supplied to airports. This share must increase to 70% by 2050. Sustainable aviation fuels include synthetic, high-tech and biofuels, as well as recycled hydrocarbon fuels. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve climate neutrality in aviation by 2050. The initiative is part of the EU's efforts to decarbonize transport and part of the goals to reduce emissions by 55% by 2030.
Source: economy.bg (12.02.2025)

By decree, President Rumen Radev renamed the capital's airport from Sofia Airport to "Vasil Levski" Airport - Sofia. The change comes into effect on Monday, February 17. The proposal to name the airport after Vasil Levski came from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences back in 2017. Real steps to implement the change were taken by former caretaker minister Krasimira Stoyanova. The change comes on the eve of the 152nd anniversary of the death of revolutionary Vasil Levski.
Source: economy.bg (18.02.2025)

The concessionaire of Sofia Airport – “Sof Connect” – will have to start paying its concession fees from the beginning of next year, announced the Minister of Transport Grozdan Karadjov. For the last 20 years, the state-owned operator of the airport has paid 88.6 million euros to the state, which is 4.5 million euros per year. Shortly after the start of the concession, in the spring of 2021, the then-outgoing government of Boyko Borisov voted for a 10-year postponement of the concession fees due to the reduced passenger flow. “Sof Connect” owes concession fees in the amount of over 79 million euros (over 154.8 million leva) for the first three years of the 35-year concession alone. They must be paid in two equal installments only in the period 2046-2048. The concessionaire will pay in the manner stipulated when the concession was signed in 2020. At that time, a minimum fixed amount of just over 24.5 million euros was fixed, or 32% of the total concession revenues for the relevant year. Thus, the concessionaire pays the larger of the two amounts each year. If 32% of the revenues exceed the fixed amount, the percentage is charged. Otherwise, the fixed minimum fee is paid. If a new agreement is actually signed to regulate the new payments from next year, the deferral granted by GERB in 2021 will be for only 5 years, not 10. Most likely, the amounts due for these 5 years will be paid during the last 5 years of the concession.
Source: economic.bg (13.06.2025)

The license of "Swissport Bulgaria" - the ground operator at "Vasil Levski" Airport, which is responsible for passenger service, will be temporarily revoked. This became clear after the emergency meeting that the Minister of Transport Grozdan Karadjov convened in connection with the incident at the airport on Friday evening, when nearly 300 passengers from London were blocked in the plane's sleeve for about an hour. In addition, the Minister has requested the resignation of the Secretary General of the Civil Aviation Administration, who has not submitted a report requested by him within the deadline. Options for servicing passengers arriving in our country from countries outside the Schengen area have been discussed.
Source: National radio (24.06.2025)

Construction work on Terminal 3 at Sofia Airport "Vasil Levski" is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2026 and is expected to last 5 years, until April 2031, when the construction deadline is set. The expansion of Sofia Airport "Vasil Levski" is expected to open 34 gates to accommodate 20 million passengers. Half of them will be at the new Terminal 3, announced SOF Connect - operator of Vasil Levski Airport. The expansion of Sofia Airport with a third terminal will give Bulgaria a strategic advantage. With it, it will have the largest ground capacity in this part of Europe and will position itself in a regional hub. The investment amounts to BGN 500 million. Part of the financing is provided by international financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank. Once Terminal 3 is built and ready to merge with Terminal 2, Terminal 1 is set to close.
Source: Duma (26.09.2025)

For almost a year now, the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the concessionaire of the Sofia Airport "SOF Connect" have been negotiating the payment of the concession fee. The revenue from concessions for 2026 in the budget of the Ministry of Transport is 59.4 million euros. A significant part of them is from the full concession fee of "Vasil Levski" Airport. "SOF Connect" received a 10-year deferral for the payment of the concession fee due to the coronavirus pandemic in the last days of the Boyko Borissov government in the spring of 2021. The Sofia Airport reported significantly better indicators for 2024 than the pre-COVID 2019 - more passengers and aircraft served and an increase in revenue. "SOF Connect" paid an advance of over 660 million leva to the state for the 35-year concession. For the first 5 years, the concessionaire had to invest 72 million euros. No information has been publicly presented on how much money the company has invested so far. According to the signed concession agreement, the remuneration is 32% of the total revenues for the respective value or just over 24.5 million euros per year, depending on which of the two values ??is higher. Due to the crisis in the aviation industry caused by the coronavirus, SOF Connect received a deferral for the payment of about 250 million euros - the concession fee for the first 10 years. This amount will have to be paid in the last 10 years of the contract, i.e. payment to begin in 2046. Last year it became clear that for the first three years of the concession, SOF Connect owes over 79 million euros to the state, which will be paid in two equal installments in the period 2046 - 2048. It is expected that by the end of the year the concessionaire will say whether it is willing to begin paying a concession fee and in what amount from 2026.
Source: mediapool.bg (20.11.2025)

The infrastructure of the capital airport "Vasil Levski" is being seriously improved with the official unveiling of the complete renovation of the covered multi-storey car park at Terminal 2. The project, which is a key element of the modernization of the airport, was completed in just one year by "GBS - Infrastrukturno stroitelstvo", part of "Glavbolgarstroy". The investment in the facility amounted to 16.6 mln. Euro. After the renovation, the parking lot now has 930 spaces, spread over 5 levels. About 30 of the places are for cars on the road with limited mobility. One of the levels is completely newly built, which significantly increases the capacity and comfort for passengers. The parking lot is connected by a warm connection to the Terminal 2 building for the convenience of passengers. The price list starts from 3 euros for a stay of up to 30 minutes and 6 euros for one hour. For travelers planning a longer stay, the overnight fee is 25 euros, while staying for a full week is fixed at 65 euros.
Source: economic.bg (11.02.2026)

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting the financial sustainability of Sofia Airport by investing in the first bond issue of SOF Connect AD, the airport operator. The bank has subscribed a total of EUR 50 million through two senior bonds issued by SOF Connect, as part of a EUR 450 million financing package that includes refinancing bonds, CAPEX bonds and a CAPEX loan. The bonds are listed on Euronext Dublin, which is the first issuance of this type of debt instrument by a Bulgarian entity. SOF Connect has been operating Sofia Airport since 2021 under a long-term concession agreement. This is the largest concession in the country’s transport sector and the first major public-private partnership undertaken in more than two decades. SOF Connect is owned by French infrastructure investor Meridiam, an asset manager specializing in the development, financing and management of infrastructure public-private partnerships, and an existing client of the EBRD. The Bank has a long history of helping to structure public-private partnerships in its economies. It supported the Bulgarian government in the concession process for Sofia Airport in 2020, contributed to the debt package in 2021 and later acquired an indirect equity stake. As a major institutional investor in Bulgaria, the EBRD has invested over ˆ5 billion in 320 projects to date.
Source: Banker (19.05.2026)

Sofia Airport concessionaire SOF Connect won the tender for the management of the capital's airport with one main commitment - to build a new Terminal 3. Its construction should begin within a few months and should be operational by April 19, 2031. The goal is to increase the annual passenger service capacity from 7 to 20 million. SOF Connect entered the airport operationally five years ago. The investment for the entire concession period of 35 years should reach 600 million euros. Now SOF Connect has also reached the financial part of the task, organizing financing for about 450 million euros. The resource was raised through a combination of bank loans and a bond issue with a 22-year maturity. The bonds for 180 million euros are listed on Euronext Dublin, and the financing will be used in three tranches until 2031. The first one has now been taken - the bond, which covers old liabilities. Then, apparently, the bank loans will also be used, which will be mainly for the new terminal and the renovation of the current Terminal 2. 11 international financial groups are participating in the financing, including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development - EBRD, Allianz Group, Alpha Bank, M&G Investment, National Bank of Greece, Unicredit Bulbank, etc. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development announced that they have subscribed a total of 50 million euros in two issues of senior bonds issued by SOF Connect, as part of the financial package of 450 million euros. "SOF Connect" is owned by the French infrastructure investor Meridiam, a management company specializing in the development, financing and management of infrastructure public-private partnerships and an existing client of the EBRD. The bank is also a minority shareholder in the airport through its participation in Meridiam investment structures. In April, a slight change in the ownership structure of SOF Connect took place and the company is now solely owned by Meridiam Eastern Europe Investments SAS, while previously two other companies of the group - Meridiam Infrastructure Europe III S.L.P and Meridiam Investments SAS - each held 0.01%. London-based M&G also invested EUR 70 million in SOF Connect. M&G is one of the largest investors in airport debt with around GBP 1.1 billion in debt held in airport operators worldwide. The funds will be used for refinancing and investments. The secured bonds are worth 180 million euros with a yield of 5.502% and mature in 2048. The bonds bear interest from May 12, 2026. The company's financial liabilities at the end of 2025 show bank loans of 340 million leva (174 million euros). Among the creditors are EBRD, Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, Kommunalkredit Austria AG, Societe Generale, Unicredit Bulbank, DSK Bank. "SOF connect" fulfilled its commitments under the first five-year investment plan (2021 - 2025) with investments in the amount of over 91.5 million euros. The investments included the construction of new open-air parking lots, major renovation of the Terminal 2 multi-storey car park, airport rehabilitation activities, modernization of the fuel fleet, ongoing works related to the replacement of the Terminal 2 baggage handling system, new retail outlets and upgrading of information and communication systems and infrastructure. In the next five years, under the second five-year plan, the minimum commitment is for 183.1 million euros of investments for the period 2026 - 2030. Terminal 3 was announced to cost 230 million euros, with an additional 25 million euros planned for equipment. The technical design for Terminal 3 has already been prepared, and the construction permit is expected to be issued in the summer of 2026.
Source: Capital (26.05.2026)

The wrong actions and inactions of ministers are costing taxpayers dearly. Another case is a dispute between "Hemus Air" from the TIM group and the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTS) for 20 acres at Sofia Airport. The dispute has already been resolved in court - in favor of the air carrier, which will receive nearly 12 million euros from the budget. The amount was allocated at a meeting of the Radev cabinet. In 1994, the carrier "Hemus Air" received from the state the right to use 20 acres of land at Sofia Airport free of charge (for a period of 30 years). Meanwhile, in 2020-2021, the procedure for the concession of the airport is completed. The Ministry of Transport, then led by Rosen Zhelyazkov, "overslept" on the fact that there were areas that should be excluded from the concession, because "Hemus Air" had the right to use them until 2024. And when at the end of April 2021 the "Sof Connect" consortium took over the management of the airport, it also received the areas in question. Days earlier, in early April, "Hemus Air" concluded a lease agreement with another company from the TIM group - "Bulgaria Air Maintenance". After realizing that the acres were already part of the concession and had no access to them, the tenant quickly withdrew from the contract. In 2023, "Hemus Air" filed a lawsuit for property damages - lost profits from the failed lease agreement. And it won - the Supreme Administrative Court ordered the state to pay the airline over 16 million leva in principal. If it had access to the land, Hemus Air would have received 16.27 million leva under the lease agreement, the court found. The compensation also includes the statutory interest until the payment of the amount. Thus, the inaction of the Borisov cabinet in 2021 on this specific case costs 12 million euros per 2026 budget.
Source: Sega (21.08.2026)

Ground operators are the companies responsible for passenger check-in, baggage handling, final gate passage, aircraft servicing such as loading and unloading baggage, pushing, de-icing (the process of removing or thawing snow), etc. For this purpose, they conclude contracts with various airlines. As of this year, there is a new company at Sofia Airport - "Aviapartner Bulgaria", owned by the Belgian Aviation Ground Handling Services, with Bulgaria now included in the Aviapartner group of locations, specialized in the activity and founded in 1949. Sofia Airport, represented by the concessionaire "SOF Connect", has practically exited its ground handling business (it was one of the three operators to date with a 17% market share in ground handling according to the company's latest report). And the airline clients and employees have been transferred to the new player. Aviapartner's clients include British Airways, Israeli EL AL and Israir, Polish Enter Air, Ukrainian Wind Rose, Turkish Pegasus Airlines and Onur Air, German Eurowings, Bulgarian European Air Charter and VBB (Alk), as well as SunExpress, a joint venture of Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines. For clients, the player will compete with the other two operators - Swissport Bulgaria (51% of the Swiss company of the same name and 49% of the Chimimport group) and the Greek-based company Goldair Handling. Aviapartner Bulgaria includes ground handling, an airline ticket sales agency, bus transport between terminals, activities related to passengers with reduced mobility (PRM), and a number of other services. Aviapartner Bulgaria now has a staff of about 200 people, approximately 70% women and 30% men. The sole owner of Aviapartner Bulgaria's capital is Aviation Ground Handling Services, Belgium. In November 2024, Aviation Ground Handling Services CA was attracted as an investor in Omega Aviation. It now bears the name "AviaVIP Bulgaria", with the Belgian company having 60% and the remaining 40% belonging to Tony Totov, which is the business aviation brand. On January 23, 2026, "Aviapartner Bulgaria" received a license for ground handling at "Vasil Levski" Airport - Sofia. "Aviapartner" has been developing steadily since its establishment in 1949 and today we are present in the six largest markets in the European Union, which together represent over 70% of the total EU-27 market. AviaVIP is "Aviapartner's" business aviation brand. Aviapartner is a Belgian company with headquarters near Brussels Airport. It is one of the independent providers of such services in Europe and operates at 78 airports in Europe and Africa. It was founded in 1949. To date, it has operations in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Estonia, Angola and South Africa. It employs over 18,000 people and serves more than 120 million passengers annually. The company offers a wide range of services to over 500 passenger and cargo airlines. Globally, the company provides ramp service for around 800,000 aircraft movements annually, handles approximately 300,000 tons of air cargo and operates airport business lounges at 7 European airports. AviaVIP is a member of the Aviapartner Group and operates one of the largest networks of this type of business in Europe, with 66 locations. The latest report on the activities of "SOF connect" shows that in ground operations the company had 17.3% of the market, with the other two having a much more serious presence. Swissport Bulgaria's clients are Bulgaria Air, Air Serbia, Corendon Airlines; Qatar Airways (at least until recently), Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss - LX. Swissport, based in Switzerland, has been operating at Sofia Airport since 2007. In 2013, Chimimport, through its aviation division Bulgarian Airways Group, bought a minority stake in Swissport Bulgaria. Goldair Handling serves the low-cost major clients Easy Jet, Wizz Air and Ryanair, as well as Turkish Airlines, Aeroflot, Olympic Air, LOT, TAROM, Fly Dubai and BH Air.
Source: Capital (24.08.2026)

The official opening ceremony of the New Baggage Handling System at Terminal 2 of Sofia Airport “Vasil Levski” will be on September 2, 2026. The system represents a key stage in the modernization of the airport and its technological development. Implemented with the most advanced technologies of Alstef and Leidos, it increases the capacity for processing checked baggage from 400 to 3,200 pieces of baggage per hour and is designed to serve the airport’s future capacity of 20 million passengers per year after the construction of Terminal 3 in 2031. and the modernization of Terminal 2. Its commissioning will have an immediate positive effect on the activities of ground operators, airlines and, above all, passengers. SOF Connect’s total investment in the project amounts to 15 million euros and is part of the long-term strategy for transforming Sofia Airport “Vasil Levski” into a modern regional aviation hub.
Source: Company information (01.09.2026)

Sofia Airport handled a record number of passengers in August 2026, according to data from the concessionaire SOF Connect. During the busiest month of the summer season, 853,233 passengers passed through the airport's terminals—the highest monthly figure recorded since 2019. It was the best month in the airport's recent history. By comparison, 766,901 passengers were handled in August 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 86,332 people, or approximately 11.3%. The growth is even more pronounced when compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019, when the airport handled 674,443 passengers in August; thus, August 2026 saw nearly 179,000 more passengers—an increase of about 26.5% over 2019 levels. From January through August 2026, 5.96 million passengers passed through the capital's airport. During the same period in 2025, the figure was approximately 5.51 million, marking an 8.1% annual increase. Aircraft movements totaled 47,217 for the first eight months of 2026, compared to 45,182 in the same period of 2025 and 41,258 in 2019. This represents a year-on-year growth of approximately 4.5% and an increase of over 14% compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019. The growth in passenger traffic is outpacing the growth in the number of aircraft movements. In August 2026, for instance, there was an average of approximately 133 passengers per aircraft movement, compared to around 125 a year earlier. This indicates that the rise in passenger traffic is not solely attributable to an increase in the number of flights; the data also reflects a higher average load factor for aircraft movements. Data for 2025 reveals the busiest international routes from Sofia. London is the clear leader, with 357,674 departing passengers from "Vasil Levski" Airport, followed by Vienna (216,000), Istanbul (204,349), and Frankfurt (173,638). Milan, Tel Aviv, Rome, Munich, Barcelona, ??and Varna also feature in the top 10. The growth in passenger traffic holds direct economic significance for the capital's airport, which is managed by the concessionaire SOF Connect. The concessionaire assumed management of the airport in April 2021 for a 35-year term. Subsequently, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government negotiated a deferral for a portion of the concession payments, thereby postponing the fixed annual concession fee for a specific period. As early as 2025, the Ministry of Transport and Communications insisted that the Sofia Airport concessionaire begin paying the full concession fee starting January 1, 2026, given that the passenger volume of 8.4 million in 2025 significantly exceeded the pre-pandemic figure of 7.1 million recorded in 2019. Nevertheless, the concessionaire continues to benefit from the 10-year payment deferral approved by the "Borisov 3" cabinet. This issue is particularly relevant in light of current traffic data. Throughout 2025, the capital's airport handled over 8.4 million passengers—well above the 7.1 million seen in 2019. Thus, in 2026, Sofia Airport continues to set new passenger traffic records, even as the state anticipates the resumption of concession payments.
Source: money.bg (15.09.2026)